What happened
On the morning of 10 February 2026, a Cessna 177RG, registered ZS-IIZ, was conducting a training flight from Secunda Airfield toward Rand Airport. The flight was part of a structured hour-building exercise under Part 1-41 regulations, with the crew intending to perform a touch-and-go landing at Rand before proceeding to Wonderboom Airport.
As part of the training organization's safety protocol to prevent gear-up landings by less experienced pilots, the landing gear had been intentionally left extended for the flight. Upon touchdown on Runway 35 at Rand Airport, the main landing gear suddenly collapsed and folded into the wheel wells, though the nose gear remained extended. The aircraft stayed upright and came to a halt on the runway. While the aircraft sustained minor damage, there were no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft was inspected on jacks by maintenance engineers. The investigation confirmed that the hydraulic system, electrical circuits, and landing gear extension/retraction mechanisms were functioning correctly. There were no signs of hydraulic leaks, and the cockpit indicator lights were operational. However, a physical inspection of the hardware revealed that the pin in the down-lock support assembly had sheared off. Additionally, a small buckle was noted on the left main gear tunnel, which indicated that the aircraft had experienced a hard landing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a hard landing on Runway 35.
- This impact caused the down-lock support assembly pin to shear, leading to the collapse of the main gear.
- The landing technique employed by the pilot was identified as a contributing factor.
- Meteorological conditions were clear and did not contribute to the event.
Safety action
In response to the incident, the flight school held a safety meeting to address the risks associated with retractable gear operations for low-hour pilots. The school has implemented a new policy: pilots with fewer than 150 total flight hours are prohibited from operating the landing gear system during solo flights. During such solo operations, the gear must remain extended to mitigate the risk of wheels-up landings, a measure the school deems an acceptable trade-off for the resulting increase in aerodynamic drag.