What happened
On 17 February 2026, a private flight departing from Johan Pienaar Airport (FAKU) in the Northern Cape ended with significant damage to a Jabiru J430, registration ZU-EGC. The flight, conducted under visual meteorological conditions, was bound for the Rhenosterfontein Farm Airstrip in the North West Province.
During the approach to the 1,305-metre gravel runway, the pilot configured the aircraft with 30 degrees of flaps while maintaining an airspeed of approximately 65 knots. Upon touchdown, the aircraft experienced a hard landing. This impact caused the left main landing gear to collapse, forcing the aircraft to swerve left and exit the runway surface. As the aircraft veered off the gravel, the nose gear also failed, causing the nose section to pitch downward and the propeller to strike the ground. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage, there were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's annual inspection had been completed in June 2025, and the pilot held a valid Private Pilot Licence and medical certificate. Meteorological data indicated that weather conditions were favorable and did not contribute to the event.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the incident was likely an unstable approach that resulted in a hard landing. This impact was sufficient to trigger the collapse of the left main landing gear. Contributing factors included poor landing technique and the pilot's failure to execute a go-around when the approach became unstable.