ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272416
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 4 October 2006 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  AutoGyro MT 03 MTOSport |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZU-EEP |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: / Occupants: |
| Aircraft damage: | |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 21.5 km from Graskop on track from Lydenburg to Graskop -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Lydenburg Aerodrome |
| Graskop Aerodrome | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Whilst on a flight from Lydenburg to Graskop and approximately 21,5 km from Graskop, approaching a mountain range, the pilot elected to fly through a valley between two peaks in the mountain range in order to cross the range. Approaching the valley, the pilot experienced a strong downdraft, which pushed the aircraft downwards into a gorge. As it was impossible to turn back, the pilot had to climb at maximum rate of climb as the terrain was rising. According to the pilot he flew the aircraft into a situation where it was beyond its maximum power curve and which caused it to loose speed and altitude. He elected to execute an emergency landing on the mountain instead of continuing into the gorge. The pilot stated that he executed the landing at slow speed on the mountainside, but due to rough terrain a hard landing followed. The nose landing gear and fuselage bent during the impact. The main rotor contacted the mountainside and the tail and propeller was also damaged. The aircraft had accumulated a total of 104 airframe hours at the time of the accident. The last Annual Inspection prior to the accident was certified on 15 June 2006 at 57 airframe hours. An Authority to Fly was issued on 17 July 2006 with an expiry date of 9 June 2007. The Approved Person (AP3, Aero Club of SA, Gyroplane Section) who certified the Annual Inspection was appropriately rated. No Airworthiness Directives, Service Bulletins or Service Letters were applicable at the time of the Annual Inspection. The aircraft was issued with a Certificate of Non-Registration by the Federal Republic of Germany and was operated under the Non-Type Certificate Aircraft category in South Africa. Probable Cause The pilot encountered a downdraft while attempting to cross a mountain range and was unable to climb clear of the mountain range. The pilot executed an emergency landing on the mountainside. Contributing: The pilot's limited flying experience placed him in a dangerous situation, which required proactive flight planning and knowledge of mountain flying.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
S.A. CAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation