Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 1 November 2008
Aircraft Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Owner/operator: AAA Investments (Pty) Ltd
Registration Number: ZS-PCM
Location: 9,4 km N of Nyala Lodge Airstrip – ÿ South Africa
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Component Affected: Left-hand main landing gear, propeller, nose landing, and both wingsLeft-hand main landing gear, propeller, nose landing, and both wings
Investigating Agency: CAA S.A.CAA S.A.
Category: Accident
A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, registered ZS-PCM, crashed on takeoff from Wonderboom Airport (PRY) to Nyala Lodge in the Limpopo Province. The pilot, accompanied by five passengers, attempted to take off but was diverted to an incorrect airstrip due to insufficient coordinates. After realizing the error, the pilot aborted the takeoff, resulting in a collision with a telephone pole and a wire fence. The aircraft sustained significant damage to the left-hand main landing gear, propeller, nose landing, and both wings.A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, registered ZS-PCM, crashed on takeoff from Wonderboom Airport (PRY) to Nyala Lodge in the Limpopo Province. The pilot, accompanied by five passengers, attempted to take off but was diverted to an incorrect airstrip due to insufficient coordinates. After realizing the error, the pilot aborted the takeoff, resulting in a collision with a telephone pole and a wire fence. The aircraft sustained significant damage to the left-hand main landing gear, propeller, nose landing, and both wings.

Description

A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, registered ZS-PCM, sustained substantial damage when it crashed on takeoff from a rural airstrip. One passenger was seriously injured. The pilot, accompanied by five passengers, departed from Wonderboom Airport (PRY) to Nyala Lodge in the Limpopo Province on a chartered flight. Prior to the takeoff from Wonderboom, the pilot was given the coordinates for the runway at Njala Lodge. However these coordinates (24ø 28′ S 027ø E) were insufficient for the purpose and resulted in him landing on an incorrect airstrip. Shortly afterwards realized that he had landed on the wrong runway. He turned around at the end of the runway and attempted to take off again, but the aircraft failed to gain height. The pilot then aborted the takeoff but the aircraft collided with a telephone pole and a wire fence. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left-hand main landing gear, propeller, nose landing and both wings as a result of the collision and the ensuing fire. PROBABLE CAUSES: The pilot failed to carry out a proper assessment of the wind conditions. The aircraft failed to gain height as a result of a possible down draft and collided with obstacles on the ground after landing. The pilot failed to maintain directional control after take-off, resulting in a landing on the left side of the runway after aborting the take-off.

Primary Cause

Inadequate wind conditions assessment and potential downdraft leading to a landing on the incorrect runway.Inadequate wind conditions assessment and potential downdraft leading to a landing on the incorrect runway.

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