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| Date: | Wednesday 12 March 2025 |
| Time: | 14:25 UTC |
| Type: |  Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II |
| Owner/operator: | Skyhawk Aviation |
| Registration: | ZS-SNR |
| MSN: | 34-7970428 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lanseria International Airport (HLA/FALA) -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Lanseria International Airport (HLA/FALA) |
| Lanseria International Airport (HLA/FALA) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A flight instructor (FI) and a pilot on-board a Piper PA-34-200T aircraft with registration ZS-SNR were conducting a type conversion training from Lanseria International Airport (FALA) with the intention to land at the same
airport.
The pilot, who had a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), was the pilot flying (PF) at departure. The aircraft departed from FALA at approximately 1400Z. After take-off, the aircraft climbed to 1000 feet (ft) above ground level (AGL) and the pair flew four circuits and conducted four touch-and-go landings on Runway 25. During the fifth circuit, they prepared to make a full-stop landing on Runway 25.
The FI reported that during the downwind leg, they completed the pre-landing checks and confirmed the illuminated three green lights on the instrument panel, which indicated that all landing gears were extended and locked to position. The first stage flaps were selected and the aircraft was correctly configured for landing. On final approach for Runway 25, the aircraft was approximately 400ft AGL with 80 knots (kts) indicated airspeed (KIAS). The pilot continued the approach to land and entered the landing flare, the main landing gear wheels touched down first, followed by the nose landing gear wheel which collapsed during the landing roll. Subsequently, the propellers struck the runway and the aircraft skidded on its nose cone. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway, approximately 100
metres (m) from the initial touchdown point.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose cone and propeller blades. The FI and the pilot were not injured.
Probable Cause
A leak in the pressurised hydraulic retraction pipe led to insufficient pressure to maintain the nose gear extension, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
SACAA
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Jun-2025 10:27 | ASN | Added |
| 24-Jun-2025 10:31 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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