Crash of a Beechcraft 65-A80-8800 Excalibur in Hamilton: 6 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 29, 1995 at 1225 LT
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-TIK
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hamilton – New Plymouth
MSN:
LD-249
YOM:
1965
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total hours on type:
71.00
Aircraft flight cycles:
10137
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Hamilton Airport runway 36 on a scheduled service to New Plymouth on behalf of Eagle Airways. Six minutes after takeoff, while climbing to an altitude of 5,000 feet, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the left engine and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. Four minutes later, the right turn failed as well. The airplane lost height and crashed in an open field located 9 km from Hamilton Airport. All six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines after the crew failed to realize that the fuel selector was positioned on the wrong fuel tank. The following contributing factors were reported:
- After the second engine failure, the crew failed to plan effectively for a forced landing, and ultimately failed to maintain controlled flight,
- Probable factors contributing to these failures include: workload, time pressure, unfamiliarity with the situation in which they found themselves and inexperience on type.
- After the second engine failure, the crew failed to plan effectively for a forced landing, and ultimately failed to maintain controlled flight,
- Probable factors contributing to these failures include: workload, time pressure, unfamiliarity with the situation in which they found themselves and inexperience on type.
Final Report:
