Date & Time:
Aug 23, 1996 at 1522 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-EGQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
239
YOM:
1977
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
14000
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a top dressing flight in the region of Motueka. While flying at low height, the aircraft struck with its left wing a pine, lost height and crashed on the northern face of a ridge. The pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The lone pine tree which the aircraft struck was probably obscured due to the position of the sun and shadow, making it difficult for the pilot to detect. Damage to the aileron control system resulted from the collision, and prevented the pilot from turning away from the ridge he had been sowing. Due to the impaired controllability the pilot was unable to recover from a steep left-banked turn, and the aircraft stalled and collided heavily with the face of the ridge in a nose-down attitude.
Final Report:
ZK-EGQ.pdf670.29 KB
