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| Date: | Friday 20 December 2024 |
| Time: | 04:05 UTC |
| Type: |  Jabiru J430 |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZU-JBU |
| MSN: | 1019 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Zuikerkop Lodge Airstrip near Clocolan, Free State Province -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Zuikerkop Lodge |
| Zuikerkop Lodge | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A pilot and two passengers on-board a Jabiru J430 aircraft with registration ZU-JBU were on a private flight from Zuikerkop Lodge Airstrip near Clocolan in Free State province with the intention to land back at the same airstrip when the accident occurred.
After the pilot had started the engine, he taxied the aircraft to the threshold of the gravel Runway 09 which is 900 metres (m) long and 15m wide. The prevailing wind was approximately 8 knots (kts) and blowing from the north at the
time. A few minutes after reaching Runway 09, the pilot selected the first notch flaps (15s°) and commenced with the take-off run at a ground speed of approximately 55 knots (kts). As the nose wheel started to lift off, the aircraft drifted to the left and impacted the rough ground approximately 250m from the start of the threshold (and left side of the runway). The nose wheel broke off, the propeller struck the ground and both main gear struts were damaged by horizontal forces. The pilot switched off the master switch and disembarked from the aircraft together with the passengers after bringing it to a stop. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; no person was injured.
Probable Cause(s)
Loss of directional control of the aircraft during take-off on the gravel runway because of failure to compensate for the engine torque effect which resulted in the aircraft drifting to the left and damaging the landing gear.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
SACAA
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Apr-2025 09:55 | ASN | Added |
| 09-Apr-2025 09:57 | ASN | Updated [Location, Phase, Departure airport, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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