A00-023-7165
	SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY ACCIDENT REPORT – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date of Accident	28-02-2000		Time of Accident				1330Z
Aircraft Registration	ZS-NUS		Type of Aircraft				Cessna 421 B
Pilot-in-command Licence Type			Commercial				Licence Valid			Yes
Pilot-in-command Flying Experience			Total Flying Hours		12500.00		Total Hours on Type			460.00
Type of Operation			Domestic Charter Flight
Name of Operator and Licence No.			Speed Air Charter Services / N 173D
Last point of departure			Lanseria Airport (FALA)
Next point of intended landing			Garonga, Mpumalanga
Location of the accident site with reference to easily defined geographical points (plus GPS readings if possible)
Garonga, Mpumalanga.
Meteorological Information		The weather was fine the visibility good and the temperature +28° C
Number of people on board		3		No. of people injured		Nil		No. of people killed			Nil
Synopsis
The pilot accompanied by two passengers, carried out a successful landing at Garonga in Mpumalanga. After dropping off the two passengers, the pilot inspected the runway area, which appeared to be satisfactory for take-off and landing. He then started the engines and proceeded to swing the aircraft around for take-off. However, halfway through the turn, the nose wheel entered some soft, muddy ground was obscured by long grass. As a result, the nose wheel broke off and the propellers made contact with the ground. The pilot stated that he intends to avoid landing and take-off from gravel/grass strips in the future unless there is a concrete turn-around base at each threshold.
Probable Cause
The aircraft nose wheel entered soft muddy ground obscured by long grass and broke off.