Waiotira | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft was flown to a farm airstrip then loaded with a small load of agricultural product. A combination of extremely soft airstrip conditions, a quartering tailwind, and underslung spreader equipment, degraded performance to the extent that the aircraft was unable to become airborne within the available length of the strip. The load was jettisoned, but the aircraft struck a fence and scraped the ground with the left wing tip and aileron. The aircraft did become airborne, but was unable to be effectively controlled and subsequently struck the ground. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was seriously injured.

Probable cause:

A combination of extremely soft airstrip conditions, a quartering tailwind, and underslung spreader equipment, degraded performance to the extent that the aircraft was unable to become airborne within the available length of the strip.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24 near Waiotira: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1967

Type of aircraft:

Fletcher FU-24

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-BIM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Spraying (Agricultural)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

YOM:

1957

Location:

Waiotira

Northland Regional Council

Country:

New Zealand

Region:

Oceania

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft collided with a fenceline along the top of a minor ridge, with the port tail being badly damaged by a concrete post. A little further on, and at a lower level, the port wingtip struck the ground causing the plane to make a heavy impact in a totally inverted position. The airplane then slid about 100 feet (30 metres ) before coming to rest. A small fire stated but quickly burned itself out. The pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

he pilot attempted to fly across a ridge but misjudged the climb capability of his aircraft, and struck a fenceline marking the top. When the aircraft struck the fenceline it was in a partially stalled condition. Control of the aircraft was lost as the result of the collision with the fenceline. Inexperience of the pilot was a large factor in the occurrence of the accident.