Accident Micro Aviation B22J Bantam ZU-CYL, Monday 9 July 2012

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Date:	Monday 9 July 2012
Time:
Type:	Micro Aviation B22J Bantam
Owner/operator:
Registration:	ZU-CYL
MSN:	03-0215
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	On a farm at Renosterkop in the Groblersdal area - South Africa
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Kobus de Villiers private airstrip, Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
Destination airport:	Kobus de Villiers private airstrip, Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
Investigating agency:	CAA S.A.
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot and passenger were engaged in a local, private flight assisting farmers and security personnel in a search for burglary suspects. Witnesses saw the microlight, which was flying low, pitch up its nose as the pilot attempted to clear trees. The aircraft then crashed to the ground and was destroyed. The pilot was fatally injured on impact and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The pilot became fixated on the robbery suspects while flying very low. After realising that the microlight was too close to the trees, he attempted to avoid them and the aircraft entered into a stall from which he could not recover in time. The aircraft then crashed to the ground.
The Probable Cause The aircraft entered into a stall at low altitude from which the pilot could not recover. Contributory factors: 1. The microlight was flying low at the time of the accident. 2. The pilot became fixated on the robbery suspects.

Accident investigation: