Paraparaumu-Kapiti Coast

On Friday 3 October 2003, Convair 580 ZK-KFU was scheduled for 2 regular return night freight flights from Christchurch to Palmerston North. The 2-pilot crew arrived at the operatorís base on Christchurch Aerodrome at about 1915 and together they checked load details, weather and notices for the flight. The flight, using the call sign Air Freight 642 (AF642), was to follow a standard route from Christchurch to Palmerston North via Cape Campbell non-directional beacon (NDB), Titahi Bay NDB, Paraparaumu NDB and Foxton reporting point. The pilots completed a pre-flight inspection of ZK-KFU and at 2017 the co-pilot (refer paragraph 1.10.4) called Christchurch Ground requesting a start clearance. The ground controller approved engine start and cleared AF 642 to Palmerston North at flight level 210 (FL 210) and issued a transponder code of 5331. The engines were started and the aircraft taxied for take-off on runway 20. At 2032 AF 642 started its take-off on schedule and tracked initially south towards Burnham NDB before turning right for Cape Campbell NDB, climbing to FL210. The flight progressed normally until crossing Cook Strait. After crossing Cape Campbell NDB, the crew changed to the Wellington Control frequency and at 2108 advised Wellington Control that AF 642 was at FL210, and requested to fly directly to Paraparaumu NDB. The change in routing was common industry practice and offered a shorter distance and flight time with no safety penalty. The Wellington controller approved the request and AF 642 tracked directly to Paraparaumu NDB. At 2113 the Wellington controller cleared AF 642 to descend initially to FL130 (13 000 feet (ft)). The co-pilot acknowledged the clearance. At 2122 the Wellington controller cleared AF 642 for further descent to 11 000 ft, and at 2125 instructed the crew to change to the Ohakea Control frequency. At 2125:14, after crossing Paraparaumu NDB, the co-pilot reported to Ohakea Control that AF 642 was in descent to 11 000 ft. The Ohakea controller responded 'Air Freight 642 Ohakea good evening, descend to 7000 ft. Leave Foxton heading 010, vectors [to] final VOR/DME 076 circling for 25. Palmerston weather Alfa, [QNH] 987.' At 2125:34 the co-pilot replied ìRoger down to 7000 and leaving Foxton heading 010 for 07 approach circling 25 and listening for Alfa. Air Freight 642. At 2125:44 the Ohakea controller replied 'Affirm, the Ohakea QNH 987.' The crew did not respond to this transmission. A short time later the controller saw the radar signature for AF 642 turn left and disappear from the screen. At 2126:17 the Ohakea controller attempted to contact AF 642 but there was no response from the crew. The controller telephoned Police and a search for AF 642 was started. Within an hour of the aircraft disappearing from the radar, some debris, later identified as coming from AF 642, was found washed ashore along Paraparaumu Beach. Later in the evening an aerial search by a Royal New Zealand Air Force helicopter using night vision devices and a sea search by local Coastguard vessels located further debris offshore. After an extensive underwater search lasting nearly a week, aircraft wreckage identified as being from ZK-KFU was located in an area about 4 km offshore from Peka Peka Beach, or about 10 km north of Paraparaumu. Police divers recovered the bodies of the 2 pilots on 11 October and 15 October.

The aircraft took off from Feilding Aerodrome on a visual flight rules flight to Paraparaumu. The normal flight time was about 17 minutes. The pilot and his 2 sons, aged 7 years and 5 years, were on board. Earlier that evening the pilot, his wife and 4 children had attended the pilotís farewell work function in Palmerston North. After the function they all went to Feilding Aerodrome where he prepared ZK-TZC for the flight. The pilotís wife saw him carry out a pre-flight inspection of the aeroplane, including checking the fuel. The pilot seemed to her to be his normal self and he gave her no indication that anything was amiss either with himself or ZK-TZC. She did not see the aeroplane taxi but did see it take off on runway 10 and then turn right. She thought the take-off and the departure were normal and saw nothing untoward. She then drove to Paraparaumu with her 2 younger children, the 2 older boys having left in ZK-TZC with their father. An aviation enthusiast, who lived by the aerodrome boundary, watched ZK-TZC taxi and take off, but he did not see or hear the pilot complete a ground run. He saw the aeroplane take off on runway 10 immediately after it taxied and thought the take-off and departure were normal. He did not notice anything untoward with the aeroplane. A radar data plot provided the time, track and altitude details for ZK-TZC. No radio transmissions from the pilot were heard or recorded by Palmerston North or Ohakea air traffic control. Palmerston North Control Tower was unattended from 2030 on the evening of the accident. The radar data plot showed that after take-off ZK-TZC turned right, climbed to 1000 feet above mean sea level (amsl) and headed for Paraparaumu. When the aeroplane was about 2.7 nautical miles (nm) (5 km) from Feilding Aerodrome and tracking approximately 1.3 nm (2.4 km) northwest of Palmerston North Aerodrome it turned to the left, descended and headed back to Feilding Aerodrome. The aeroplane descended at about 500 feet per minute rate of descent to 400 feet amsl. At 400 feet amsl (about 200 feet above the ground) the aeroplane passed about 0.5 nm (900 m) east of the aerodrome and threshold for runway 28, and joined left downwind for runway 10. In the downwind position the aeroplane was spaced about 0.3 nm (500 m) laterally from the runway at an initial height of 400 feet amsl, or about 200 feet above the ground. ZK-TZC departed from controlled flight when it was turning left at a low height during an apparent approach to land on runway 10, with its undercarriage and flaps extended. ZK-TZC first rotated to face away from the aerodrome before striking the ground in a nose down attitude. The 3 occupants were killed in the impact. Two witnesses, who were about 3.5 km southeast of Palmerston North Aerodrome and about 6 km from the aeroplane, saw the aeroplane at a normal height shortly before it turned back towards Feilding. They described what they thought was some darkish grey smoke behind the aeroplane shortly before it turned around. A witness near Palmerston North recalled seeing the aeroplane in level flight at about 1000 feet before it rolled quickly into a steep left turn and then headed back toward Feilding Aerodrome. After the steep turn the aeroplane descended. He thought that one or both engines were running unevenly. He did not see any smoke or anything unusual coming from the aeroplane. He lost sight of the aeroplane when it was in the vicinity of Feilding. He remembered that at the time it was getting on toward dark and that there was a high cloud base with gusty winds. Another witness travelling on a road from Feilding Aerodrome to Palmerston North saw the aeroplane fly low over his car. He saw the undercarriage extend then retract and that the left propeller was stationary. He believed the other engine sounded normal. He then saw the aeroplane continue toward Feilding Aerodrome and cross the eastern end of the runway. He thought the aeroplane was trying to turn and said it seemed to be quite low and slow. He did not see any smoke coming from the aeroplane. He was not overly concerned because he thought it was a training aeroplane. He said the weather at the time was clear with a high overcast. The aviation enthusiast saw ZK-TZC return for a landing and fly to a left downwind position for runway 10. He thought the aeroplane was quite low. He said the left propeller was feathered and was not turning and believed the right engine sounded normal. He did not see any smoke coming from the aeroplane. He could not recall the position of the undercarriage or flaps. After a while he became concerned when he had not seen the aeroplane land. He described the weather at the time as being fine with good visibility but that it was getting on toward dark. A further witness living near Feilding Aerodrome by the threshold to runway 10 heard the aeroplane coming and then fly overhead. He said the aeroplane sounded very low and very loud, as though its engine was at maximum speed (power). The engine sounded normal, except that it sounded as though it was under high power. He said there was a slight breeze, clear conditions and a high overcast at the time. A couple living by Feilding Aerodrome on the approach path to runway 10 heard the aeroplane coming from a northerly direction. They thought its engine sounded as though it was under a heavy load and said it was making a very loud noise like a topdressing aeroplane. The engine was making a steady sound and was not intermittent or running rough. The steady loud engine noise continued until they heard a loud thump, when the engine noise stopped abruptly. They said that at the time it was getting on toward dark but the weather was clear with good visibility. An eyewitness to the accident saw the aeroplane at a very low height, about the height of some nearby treetops, when it turned left to land. The aeroplane was turning left when she saw it nose up sharply and then suddenly turn back in the opposite direction, before nosing down and hitting the ground nose first. She said the aeroplane seemed to snap in half after it hit the ground.

During the takeoff roll at Paraparaumu Airport, the airplane deviated from the centerline to the right, causing the right main gear to be torn off while hitting the shoulder. The airplane went off runway and came to rest. Both pilots were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The flight was a routine cargo flight from Woodbourne to Timaru via Paraparaumu. After take-off the aircraft was climbed to 2 500 ft on instruments and a period of asymmetric instrument flying followed during which the starboard pro- peller was feathered and rate half turns were made in both directions. The starboard propeller was unfeathered and when the minimum operating temperatures had been reached, normal power was applied. Two minutes later a sudden and severe vibration was felt throughout the aircraft. Feathering of the port engine was delayed until nearer the North Island coastline, and no further vibration was felt on the remainder of the flight to Paraparaumu. The aircraft was then loaded and one crew member was off-loaded prior to take-off on the second segment of the flight to Timaru. At 1127 hours the flight called Harewood Tower giving its position as 6 miles north of the Wairnakariri River mouth at 3 000 ft contact. It was subsequently cleared to maintain 3 000 ft to the Harewood Range Station. It then advised that it would descend VFR from the Range Station and proceed VFR to Timaru and was subsequently cleared for this procedure by Harewood Tower. At 1133 hours, at an approximate height of 2 000 ft, the aircraft was seen to suffer structural failure in the air. The starboard outer wing folded upwards and backwards and then separated. The remainder of the aircraft performed a series of violent manoeuvres while diving towards the ground at a mean angle of 35°' shedding a number of major components before finally striking the ground 1 000 yards beyond the point of wing separation. The 2 crew and 2 passengers aboard were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed.

On final approach to Paraparaumu Airport, both engines failed simultaneously. Then captain was able to restart the engine but the aircraft lost speed and height. While trying to climb, the aircraft banked right and hit a house, shearing off 12 feet of the right wing. The airplane passed between two houses and eventually crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed, three children were killed and all other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

The descent to Paraparaumu was started in marginal weather conditions. On approach, at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft christened 'Keruru' hit tree tops and crashed on the wooded slope of a mountain located in Waikanae, about 11 km from the airport. The wreckage was reached by rescuers two hours later. The aircraft was destroyed and all 15 occupants were killed.

About 15 minutes after takeoff from Blenheim-Woodbourne Airport, while on a cargo flight to Paraparaumu, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in Rununder Point, near Port Underwood, 32 km northeast of Blenheim. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Murdo McLeod,
R. J. R. H. Makgill.

Crashed on landing. No casualties.