Accident Piper PA-28-181 ZS-LVX, Wednesday 3 January 2007

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Date:	Wednesday 3 January 2007
Time:
Type:	Piper PA-28-181
Owner/operator:
Registration:	ZS-LVX
MSN:	28-7790064
Fatalities:	Fatalities: / Occupants:
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:
Category:	Accident
Location:	Runway 11 at East London Aerodrome - South Africa
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Lady Frere (Private Aerodrome)
Destination airport:	East London (FAEL) Aerodrome
Investigating agency:	CAA S.A.
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The aircraft drifted to the left of the gravel runway on take-off roll and at about rotation, the left main landing gear made contact with an anthill, causing the wheel axle and wheel assembly (lower strut) to separate from the aircraft. The crew continued with the flight to their destination. On landing and during the touch down the left hand wing settled on the runway. The aircraft came to a halt on the left hand side of Runway 11. The pilot discovered that the left gear oleo piston and the wheel assembly were missing. It was later recovered at the departure point by the locals. Both crew sustained no injuries. The aircraft sustained damage to the left-hand undercarriage, left-hand wing and the tail plane. Probable Cause The left main wheel made contact with an anthill, causing the left main landing gear lower strut to be separated from the aircraft

Accident investigation: