Date & Time:
Sep 12, 1959 at 0825 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-BIZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Tait - Tait
MSN:
52
YOM:
1957
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
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was involved in a crop spraying mission in the region of Putaruru. While cruising at low height, the single engine aircraft struck power cables and crashed in a field 109 meters farther. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and the pilot, Bruce John Oliver, was killed.
Probable cause:
According to the board of investigations, the accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- The pilot was aware of the presence of the wires and their position was clearly indicated by the associated firebreak,
- The poles suspending the wires were situated at different levels, causing the lines to slope,
- The higher pole was obscured from the pilot's view, thus he did not anticipate the slope of the wires,
- The pilot judged his crossing of the wires by reference to the lower pole and as a result collided with the upward-sloping wires.
- The pilot was aware of the presence of the wires and their position was clearly indicated by the associated firebreak,
- The poles suspending the wires were situated at different levels, causing the lines to slope,
- The higher pole was obscured from the pilot's view, thus he did not anticipate the slope of the wires,
- The pilot judged his crossing of the wires by reference to the lower pole and as a result collided with the upward-sloping wires.
