Incident Overview

Date: Monday 21 May 2001
Aircraft Type: Douglas DC-3
Registration Number: ZS-GPL
Location: Runway 06, Fly Inn – ÿ South Africa
Phase of Flight: Unknown
Status: Substantial
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Component Affected: Aircraft Main GearsAircraft Main Gears
Investigating Agency: CAA S.A.CAA S.A.
Category: Accident
An aircraft experienced a landing accident due to a sudden change in wind conditions shortly after takeoff. The pilot reported a calm wind prior to landing and identified a dirt road and soil mound adjacent to the runway. The aircraft touched down short of the threshold, resulting in damage to the main gears and propeller. The changing wind direction further exacerbated the situation.An aircraft experienced a landing accident due to a sudden change in wind conditions shortly after takeoff. The pilot reported a calm wind prior to landing and identified a dirt road and soil mound adjacent to the runway. The aircraft touched down short of the threshold, resulting in damage to the main gears and propeller. The changing wind direction further exacerbated the situation.

Description

The aircraft, with two-crew on board, was flying from FAWB to Fly Inn. The pilot first inspected the runway as well as the over-and undershoot areas before commencing to land on runway 06. According to the pilot, the wind was calm at the time of the runway inspection prior to landing. A dirt road, running perpendicular to the runway, was present 16m from the threshold in the undershoot area of runway 06. A furrow had been dug adjacent to the dirt road with a mound of soil on the edge of the road. The aircraft touched down 16m short of the threshold of runway 06, which caused both main gears to contact the dirt road and the mound of soil on the edge of the road. The right hand main gear was damaged when it contacted a rock within the mound causing the right hand gear to collapse and the aircraft to veer off to the right hand side of the runway. The right hand propeller contacted the ground in the process. The aircraft came to rest approximately 450m from the threshold of runway 06. The aircraft sustained substantial damage in the process, but no injuries were sustained. According to the pilot, the wind conditions had changed shortly after the accident with a South Westerly wind of approximately 10 Knots. When the on-site investigation was conducted 2 hours after the accident, the wind direction was indeed South Westerly with an estimated wind speed of approximately 10 Knots. PROBABLE CAUSE: The aircraft touched down short of runway 06 as a result of changing wind conditions that increased the rate of descent of the aircraft on final approach. The fact that the dirt road in front of runway 06 is slightly elevated above the runway elevation also contributed to the accident.

Primary Cause

Sudden change in wind conditions during final approach.Sudden change in wind conditions during final approach.

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