Fletcher FU-24

Operator:

Registration:

VH-HTB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Frogmore - Frogmore

MSN:

174

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in superphosphate spreading operations. An aerial survey of the property had been conducted by the pilot in company with the property owner. Power poles in the valley ahead and to the left of the airstrip were marked. When operations started the wind was a light north-easterly and ambient temperature was 16° Celsius. By the time the aircraft had refuelled and was ready for the thirty-sixth flight of the day, the ambient temperature had increased to 28° Celsius and the wind direction had changed to a south-westerly. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was observed to sink after overflying the high-voltage power lines between the marked poles. On the next flight the aircraft was observed to make a tight left turn and fly down the valley adjacent to the left marked powerpole. On the next and final flight, the aircraft was apparently attempting to follow the track of the previous flight. While crossing the power lines south-west of the marked power pole, the aircraft's landing gear and left wing tip struck the powerlines. With the broken powerline jammed behind the left aileron washout plate, the aircraft impacted the ground 100 metres beyond the powerpole. Ground impact forces destroyed the aircraft and reduced the cockpit area to non-survivable dimensions.

Probable cause:

On-site examination of the aircraft and subsequent laboratory examination and testing of components did not reveal any pre-existing mechanical defects or abnormalities which could be considered as factors in, or contributory to, this accident. Powerline impact marks on the aircraft were consistent with the aircraft being in a left banked attitude when it struck the wire. The investigation revealed that the loader driver's truck bucket load gauge had no conversion/calibration chart, and that the aircraft was being operated in excess of the maximum allowable weight for takeoff. It is considered probable that the pilot had elected to fly down the valley, (thus taking advantage of the downslope), to compensate for a degradation of aircraft performance whilst operating overweight in the changed ambient conditions. The absence of a superphosphate trail before wire impact indicates that the pilot did not dump any of the load and was either unaware
of, or had forgotten about, the existence of powerlines to the south-west of the marked powerpole.
The following factors were considered relevant to the development of the accident:
1. The aircraft was being operated in an overweight configuration for takeoff.
2. The pilot did not adjust the takeoff weight of the aircraft to give an acceptable climb performance.
3. The pilot was unaware of, or had forgotten about, the powerlines to the south-west of the marked pole; or,
4. the pilot misjudged the clearance between the powerlines and the aircraft whilst trying to overfly them.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24-300 near Moa Creek: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1989 at 1554 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Central Airspread

Registration:

ZK-CTO

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Moa Creek - Moa Creek

MSN:

131

YOM:

1966

Location:

Moa Creek

Otago Regional Council

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2239

Captain / Total hours on type:

62.00

Circumstances:

The student agricultural pilot was operating under the supervision of an instructor. The aircraft had just taken off and was turning in the valley to gain height in order to clear high terrain which lay between the airstrip and the sowing area. Witnesses heard the engine misfire and saw the aircraft lose height while turning to avoid some high ground, collide with the hillside, and catch fire. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The aircraft suffered a temporary loss of engine power at a critical time after takeoff. The cause of the power loss was not determined, but may have been fuel contamination.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fletcher FU24-954 in Rangitata: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1988 at 1005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Garrow Aviation

Registration:

ZK-EMZ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Canterbury Regional Council

Schedule:

Rangitata - Rangitata

MSN:

280

YOM:

1981

Location:

Rangitata

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft took off at about 0950 to spray chemicals on a 10-hectare potato crop. The flight was expected to take about 25 minutes. At 1020 when the plane had not returned to the airstrip the loader driver attempted to contact the pilot using a portable VHF transceiver. There was no response. The aircraft was found to have crashed in a level stony paddock. Physical evidence showed that the ground impact had occurred with the plane in a descending left turn and a nose down attitude. The angle of bank was 20 to 30 degrees. The outer panel of the left wing was damaged at the tip and was separated from the airframe, lying about 20 metres away. After this initial impact the plane had cartwheeled, breaking up. There was no fire. This was not a survivable accident.

Probable cause:

There was evidence that the pilot had almost completed his task at this location and was probably making a reversal turn in order to carry out a " cleaning up " run down one of the boundaries when the crash occurred. No evidence of structural or mechanical failure could be found. There was no sign of collision with any obstacle, or of bird strike. The all-up weight and C of G were within the permitted limits. Witnesses agreed that the engine was running normally right up to the the moment of the crash. The sky conditions were partly cloudy with normal horizontal visibility. There had been drizzle earlier in the day but there was no precipitation at the time of the crash. The surface wind was light and variable. The weather was not considered to be a factor. An autopsy showed that the 47-year-old pilot had some slight arterial narrowing but not sufficient to cause sudden incapacitation. Tests for chemical poisoning proved negative. The crash investigator concluded that no probable cause for the accident could be established.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24-950 near Werris Creek: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1988 at 1045 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VH-HPP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Werris Creek - Werris Creek

MSN:

162

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was conducting superphosphate spreading operations in fine and clear weather conditions. The paddock being treated sloped uphill, and there were heavily timbered peaks beyond the paddock. The pilot had spread the paddock the previous day under similar conditions. On this occasion the aircraft was apparently performing normally as the first swath run was completed, but the aircraft did not appear to gain any appreciable height as it approached the hills. It was then seen to adopt a steep nose-up attitude and commence a wingover type manoeuvre. During this manoeuvre the aircraft struck trees and then impacted the ground. A fierce fire broke out and engulfed the wreckage. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Although the investigation was hampered by the extensive fire damage, no defect or malfunction was discovered which might have contributed to the accident. The reason the pilot, who had extensive agricultural experience, chose to conduct swath runs towards steeply rising ground was not determined. The wind direction had changed since the previous day, and the aircraft was likely to have been affected by downdrafts on the lee side of the hills. When the pilot realised the aircraft was not performing as expected, he evidently attempted to dump the remaining load and reverse the direction. However, there was insufficient aircraft performance available to successfully complete this manoeuvre.
Significant Factors:
The following factors were considered to be relevant to the development of the accident:
1. The pilot elected to conduct spreading runs towards steeply rising ground, when safer alternatives were available.
2. It was likely that downdraft conditions existed on the lee side of the hills.
3. The pilot evidently misjudged the climb performance of the aircraft.
4. The pilot delayed attempting a reversal of direction beyond the point where such a manoeuvre could be safely accomplished.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24-950M in Wairakei: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-CWQ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

YOM:

1960

Location:

Wairakei

Waikato Regional Council

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Wairakei. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24-950 in El Fau

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Agricultural Aviation

Registration:

AP-BAM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

El Fau - El Fau

MSN:

223

YOM:

1976

Location:

El Fau

Upper Nile (أعالي النيل)

Country:

South Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a spraying mission. The pilot, sole on board, was injured.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24-950M near Matakana: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 6, 1987 at 1453 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-CBI

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

YOM:

1962

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An aerial topdressing operation was being undertaken from a sloping airstrip located on a headland near Matakana. The fertilizer to be applied was granulated superphosphate totaling 60 tonnes. The aircraft arrived at the airstrip and while waiting for the loader to arrive the pilot walked the length of the runway, then requested that the farmer cut down some saplings at the end of the strip that might obstruct his climb out path. Upon arrival of the loader the pilot instructed the driver to place 18 hundredweight (cwt) or 915 kgs of fertilizer in the aircraft. This was done, along with the addition of some fuel, and the first flight of the operation commenced. The driver did not observe the take off but while reloading his vehicle at the bin noticed a cloud of fertilizer dust off the end of the strip, indicating that the pilot had jettisoned the load. A few minutes later the driver sighted the aircraft briefly through a gap in the trees. It was flying, apparently normally, at about sowing height and on a reciprocal course to the take off direction. A faint trail of fertilizer was coming from the hopper. The plane then disappeared behind some trees and the driver did not see it again. Just after losing sight of the aircraft he saw what seemed to be a piece of red paper fluttering to the ground. When the aircraft failed to land a search was made and the wreckage of ZK-CBI was found in dense scrub about 350 metres to the left of the departure end of the airstrip. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. The investigator found that the pilot had initiated jettisoning the load 36 metres before the boundary fence. It was not clear whether the plane was still on the ground or was airborne at a low speed when a collision with the concrete post and wire fence occurred. Two posts had almost completely severed both halves of the " all flying " tailplane or stabilator. The outboard left hand section was retained by the trim tab only. The outboard part of the right hand side of the stabilator later detached and was found 150 metres from the crash site. With this degree of damage to the tailplane horizontal control must have been difficult, but the pilot was able to clear a low ridge ahead and fly out over a large basin where a 180 degree turn was completed in order to land back on the airstrip. Before the approach could be completed however, the outer part of the RH side of the stabilator separated and the aircraft dived steeply to the ground. The aircraft was destroyed by the severe impact. Fire did not break out. This was not a survivable crash.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of this accident was that the pilot did not initiate the jettisoning of the load in time to restore the take off performance which had been degraded by the kikuyu grass on the airstrip. The following findings were reported:
- The aircraft was loaded within approved limits.
- Kikuyu grass growing on the airstrip caused a significant deterioration in the acceleration of the plane on take off.
- The aircraft was capable of normal operation before the collision with the fence.
- The collision caused critical damage.
- Some minutes after the collision about 1/4 of the total horizontal stabilizer area separated from the aircraft causing it to become uncontrollable in pitch and dive to the ground.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24A-950 in Orari Gorge: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1987 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-DZA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Canterbury Regional Council

MSN:

201

YOM:

1974

Location:

Orari Gorge

Country:

Region: