9g-aem accident report

TU-TAK Accident Report

TU-TAK Accident Report JULY 2020

Ghana Civil Aviation Authority

AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT

(INTERNAL)

TRAVAUX ET SERVICES AERIENNES (TSA)

M.D.C. 912 STS (TU-TAK)

TU-TAK

ASUTUARE

EASTERN REGION, GHANA

4TH JULY, 2020



Contents 1.0 SYNOPSIS ........................................................................................................................................... 3

2.0 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................................... 4

3.0 HISTORY OF FLIGHT ................................................................................................................... 4

4.0 INJURIES ............................................................................................................................................ 4

5.0 DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT ....................................................................................................................... 4

5.1 DETAILED INFORMATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE ......................................................... 4

6.0 PERSONNEL INFORMATION.............................................................................................................. 5

7.0 AIRCRAFT INFORMATION ................................................................................................................. 5

7.1 ACTUAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................................. 5

8.0 MAINTENANCE HISTORY .................................................................................................................. 6

9.0 FLIGHT RECORDERS ........................................................................................................................... 6

10.0 METEOLOGICAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 6

11.0 COMMUNICATION ............................................................................................................................. 6

12.0 WREKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION ..................................................................................... 6

13.0 PROBABLE CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENT ...................................................................................... 7

14.0 ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TEAM ............................................................................................... 7

APPENDIX A PICTURES OF SITE ……………………………….…………………………………………………………………………………8

APPENDIX B TRANSCRIPT OF WITNESS INTERVIEWS ……………………………………………………………………………….16

APPENDIX C TSA AND GOLDEN EXOTICS APPROVALS……………………………………………………………………………….19



OWNER AND OPERATOR OF AIRCRAFT: TRAVAUX ET SERVICES AERIENNES (TSA)

AIRCRAFT:

TYPE: M.D.C 912 STA

NATIONALITY: COTE D’IVOIRE

REGISTRATION: TU-TAK

PLACE OF INCIDENCE: ASUTUARE IN THE EASTERN REGION

LATITUDE: N06000.687’

LONGITUDE: E000014.751’

DATE AND TIME: 3RD JULY, 2020 AT ABOUT 0840GMT

1.0 SYNOPSIS

The accident was reported by Mr. Benedict Rich, Manager of Golden Exotics Farms, by phone to

Aviation Safety Inspector Joseph Malik Awudu on 3rd July, 2020 around 1200GMT. Mr. Awudu

contacted Manager of Airworthiness, Mr. Eric Ewusie, who instructed Messrs. Awudu and

Samuel Dadzie (Aviation Safety Inspector) to proceed to the site to ascertain the facts.

The subject aircraft, which is part of a two-aircraft crop-spraying operation, is operated by

Travaux Services Aeriennes (TSA) of Cote d’Ivoire on behalf of Golden Exotics Ltd. The aircraft

was on routine flights over the designated areas of the banana plantation in Asutuare in the Eastern

Region of Ghana.

At about 8.25 AM the pilot, Bruno Tardy, took off in the aircraft with registration TU-TAK from

Runway C near Sector 7 of the banana plantation. Flying back to the airstrip, the aircraft sunk

suddenly and the nosewheel hit one of the wire cables which run spanwise just above the canopy

of the plantation, and is used to hold up the branches of the banana plants. The aircraft flipped

over after contacting the wire and crashed into a ditch. Aboard the aircraft was one pilot. The pilot

sustained a fractured leg and the aircraft was structurally damaged.

It is probable that the pilot flew lower than what is typical for TSA crop-spraying operations and

went into ground effect, causing the sudden sink and the nosewheel coming into contact with the

twining wire.

The crash site had been secured by the Golden Exotics security team by the time the Aviation

Safety Inspectors arrived on the scene. The crash site had not been disturbed.



2.0 METHODOLOGY

1. Visual inspections of site.

2. Interviews with Pilots, passenger onboard, the Operator and locals in area of the accident.

3. Photographs of the accident.

4. Collecting of oil and fuel samples.

3.0 HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On 3rd July, 2020, at approximately 0840 GMT, an M.D.C 912 STA aircraft with registration TU-

TAK, registered to Travaux et Services Aeriennes (TSA) of Cote d’Ivoire crashed at Asutuare in

the Eastern Region of Ghana. TSA has been contracted by Golden Exotics (Ghana) Ltd to conduct

crop-spraying activities on their farms. The aircraft had previously embarked on earlier flights that

same day, with the first flight occurring at 0551 GMT.

At 0825 GMT, Mr. Bruno Tardy who was flying the subject aircraft departed from Runway C,

near Sector 7 of the Golden Exotics banana plantation to continue the crop-spraying activities for

the day. At approximately 0840 GMT while flying low and directly above the plantation canopy,

the aircraft sunk suddenly and the nose gear caught onto one of the metal cables running just

above the canopy of the plantation which are used to hold up branches of the banana plants. The

Aircraft flipped over and crashed into a ditch, causing major structural damage due to the impact.

The propeller also came into contact with some parts of the wing. The Chief Pilot arrived on the

scene and cut off fuel supply to the engine and turned off the ignition although the engine was not

running at the time.

4.0 INJURIES

Pilot sustained a fractured leg. He has not been interviewed at the time of completing this report

since he is on admission.

5.0 DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT

The aircraft sustained substantial damage. Below is the detail of the damage;

5.1 DETAILED INFORMATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE

1. Fuselage: Aircraft was lying upside down. Substantial damage to trusses and aircraft skin.

2. Landing gear: Nose landing gear had broken off and was lying approximately 6 feet from

the nose.

3. Propellers: There was some damage (dent) to the propeller blade tips.

4. Control linkage rods broken and lying approximately 5 feet from the aircraft.

5. Wings: Damaged from impact and from apparent propeller strike.

6. Throttle was pulled out to a low power setting.

7. There was no evidence of fuel or oil spillage beneath the aircraft.

8. Other debris approximately 21 feet from the aircraft.



6.0 PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot is 55 years old of French nationality, and a Cote d’Ivoire ULM Validated Licence

holder (original licence issued by France CAA). Licence issued on 5th March, 2020.

7.0 AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The MDC 912 STA aircraft is a single-seater, single-engine microlight with MTOW of 450 Kg

being used by TSA for crop-spraying activities. The airframe is a prismatic lattice frame with

Frame Serial Number 01210. Landing Gears consist of two steel articulated legs mounted on both

sides of the airframe and a front gear made of 6 inch wheel supported by an steerable steel fork,

controlled with the rudder. Aileron and horizontal stabilizer are actuated via the flight stick.

Vertical stabilizer and front directional wheel are actuated via the rudder through cable linkages

and bearing mounted articulated tubes.

The aircraft is powered by a single air and liquid-cooled Rotax 912s 4 cylinder reciprocating

engine.

Golden Exotics currently purchase petrol (AVGAS) from Shell Ghana for their operations. They

also use micron filters to refuel aircraft to ensure there is no water or particle contamination.

7.1 ACTUAL INFORMATION

Aircraft type: M.D.C 912 STA

Registration: TU-TAK

Serial No.: 01210

Manufacturer: Humbert Aviation

Year of manufacture: 2010

Type of Engines: 1 Rotax 912ULS FR #6776244

Date & Time: March 18, 2015

Location: Asutuare, Eastern Region

Type of Flight: Crop-spraying

Persons on board: Crew – 1

Injuries: Crew – 1

Damage to Aircraft: Aircraft Sustained Substantial damage



8.0 MAINTENANCE HISTORY

Records to be forwarded by TSA.

9.0 FLIGHT RECORDERS

Neither a cockpit Voice Recorder nor Flight Data Recorder was fitted or required to be fitted at the

time of manufacture or registration of the aircraft.

10.0 METEOLOGICAL INFORMATION

At the time of the accident the weather was Visual Meteorological Condition.

11.0 COMMUNICATION

The aircraft was not in communication with Accra Tower.

12.0 WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The aircraft was found upside down with some debris scattered around it.

FIGURE 1 : Wreckage of Aircraft



13.0 OBSERVATIONS/ PROBABLE CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENT

The evidence made it clear that the accident likely resulted from;

1. Pilot flying too low.

2. Aircraft entering ground effect.

3. Unintended sudden sink.

4. Nosewheel contacting metal cable used for twining which was hanging approximately 6

metres from the plantation floor.

14.0 ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TEAM

TEAM OF INSPECTORS ASI No. SIGNATURE DATE

Mr. Joseph Malik Awudu ASI 57 ---------------------- ------------------

Mr. Samuel Dadzie ASI 75 ---------------------- ------------------



APPENDIX A - PICTURES

Figure 2: Aerial View of Asutuare

MDC 912 STA microlight crashed just south of the runway

Coordinates:

LATITUDE: N06000.687’

LONGITUDE: E000014.751’



Figure 3: Structural damage to fuselage and nose landing gear.



Figure 4: Broken Nose Landing Gear

Figure 5: Control rod and pitot tube



Figure 6: Possible Propeller strike on fuselage.

Figure 7: Debris from possible propeller strike.



Figure 8: Pilot’s Instrument Panel 1

Figure 9: Pilot’s Instrument panel 2



Figure 10: Possible nose wheel contact with fuselage.

Figure 11: Possible twining wire contact with Nose Landing Gear.



Figure 12: Twining Wire normal configuration.

Figure 13: Twining wire running above plantation canopy.



Figure 14: Broken twining wire support.

Figure 15: Broken twining wire cable.



APPENDIX B – TRANSCRIPT OF WITNESS INTERVIEWS

B-1

WITNESS ACCOUNT OF ACCIDENT ON 3RD JULY, 2020

TSA ULM AIRCRAFT WITH REG. TU-TAK

Name: Anyass ISSIFU

Designation: Assistant Farm Manager (Aerial Spraying and Disease Monitoring)

I was at the airstrip this morning around 8.25 AM on 3rd July, 2020, Bruno Tardy

flew the aircraft TU-TAK from Runway C. At 8:34, Vincent Mervaillie came back to

refuel. At 8:43 AM, Vincent came back again with no sign of Bruno. We informed

Vincent that Bruno had not come back to refuel.

Vincent took off in search of Bruno. He landed back at the airstrip at 8:47 AM and

informed us that he had located Bruno. We mobilized and proceeded to rescue

Bruno.

Contact:

Tel: +233 24 776 2102



B-2



Name: Vincent MERVAILLIE

Designation: Chief Pilot (TSA/ Golden Exotic Ltd)

At 8.30 AM on 3rd July, 2020, the mechanic on the ground informed me that the

other aircraft on crop-spraying operation (TU-TAK) being operated by our other

pilot, Brun Hardy had not come back to refuel, so I took off to survey the area in

hopes of finding him.

I saw his wreckage on the south side of the runway (Runway C, near Sector 7 of the

farm). The aircraft was broken and Bruno was near the airplane. He gave me a

thumbs-up sign to say he was alright so I returned to the runway.

I told Anyass (Assistant Farm Manager) to stay at the farm and coordinate the calls

to emergency services. I then proceeded to locate the wreckage on the map.

We went back to the crash site to rescue Bruno Hardy and waited with him until

the ambulance showed up to convey him to the clinic. Bruno indicated, at the site

however, that he did not know what had happened and that everything happened

so fast.

Mr. Mervaillie stated that on arriving at the scene, he closed the fuel choke and

turned off the ignition on the aircraft, although the engine had already stopped

running.

Contact:

Tel: +233 20 880 0655



B-3



Name: Stephane Durandiere

Designation: Accountable Manager (TSA – Abidjan)

Mr. Durandiere called Mr. Joseph Malik Awudu on telephone at 11:00 AM on 4th

July, 2020.

In the phone conversation, he mentioned that he had spoken briefly to the pilot

(Bruno Hardy) following the accident. Bruno told him that he felt the aircraft sink

and then flip over.

Mr. Durandiere made an assumption that Bruno had come too low and had been

likely caught in the ground effect, hence the unintended sink. He also said that the

nose wheel caught on a metal line on the field, which had caused the aircraft to flip

over.

Contact:

Tel: +225 79 79 07 09

Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



APPENDIX C – TSA AND GOLDEN EXOTICS APPROVALS

C-1 GOLDEN EXOTICS APPROVAL



C-2 NATIONAL SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR GOLDEN EXOTICS



C-3 TSA APPROVAL FROM ANAC

9g-aem accident report

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