New Zealand

The topdressing operation had resumed after a break caused by weather deterioration associated with a weakening frontal system in the immediate area. Mist and low cloud had cleared, and the wind had picked up. The pilot was sowing into a narrow, rising valley. It was the sixth run over the same terrain, after an increase in payload. The pilot initially encountered lift then heavy sink. Unable to reverse course within the confines of the narrow valley, and despite the application of full power, 20 degrees of flap and an attempt to dump the payload, he failed to establish a climb. The aircraft stalled in a lefthand turn and impacted the valley side. The aircraft struck left wing first, removing the outer wing section. It then hit the ground flat but turning anti-clockwise and skidded tail first to a halt. The hopper mouth was torn loose, and this and the nose leg disrupted the cockpit floor, trapping the pilot's legs within the cockpit area and inflicting serious injuries. The pilot was wearing full restraint harness and a protective helmet, which undoubtedly saved him from further injury. He suffered some post-impact disorientation, but fortunately there was no post-crash fire. The Police and Fire Services in attendance were unaware of the actions required to secure the aircraft fuel and electrical systems.

The pilot was conducting a topdressing operation in hilly terrain in fine weather. He had stopped sowing and commenced a right hand turn. Considerable height was lost in the turn for reasons undetermined. The aircraft impacted with terrain under power in a 60° banked, 30° nose down attitude. The aircraft was totally destroyed in the impact and post crash fire, the pilot receiving fatal injuries. No technical deficiencies were revealed.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a top dressing flight in the region of Motueka. While flying at low height, the aircraft struck with its left wing a pine, lost height and crashed on the northern face of a ridge. The pilot was killed.

Following an uneventful flight from Wellington, the pilot started the descent to Picton-Koromiko Airport in good weather conditions. On final, at an altitude of 1,700 feet, the single engine aircraft entered clouds and struck the slope of Mt Robertson located 10 nm northeast of Blenheim. All five occupants were killed and the pilot was seriously injured.

The pilot was completing spraying mission in the region of Rongoio Station, about 18 nm north of Wairoa. In flight, control was lost and the aircraft crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

At 08:17 Ansett New Zealand Flight 703 departed Auckland (AKL) as scheduled bound for Palmerston North (PMR). To the north of Palmerston North the pilots briefed themselves for a VOR/DME approach to runway 07 which was the approach they preferred. Subsequently Air Traffic Control specified the VOR/DME approach for runway 25, due to departing traffic, and the pilots re-briefed for that instrument approach. The IMC involved flying in and out of stratiform cloud, but continuous cloud prevailed during most of the approach. The aircraft was flown accurately to join the 14 nm DME arc and thence turned right and intercepted the final approach track of 250° M to the Palmerston North VOR. During the right turn, to intercept the inbound approach track, the aircraft’s power levers were retarded to 'flight idle' and shortly afterwards the first officer advised the captain ".... 12 DME looking for 4000 (feet)". The final approach track was intercepted at approximately 13 DME and 4700 feet, and the first officer advised Ohakea Control "Ansett 703" was "established inbound". Just prior to 12 miles DME the captain called "Gear down". The first officer asked him to repeat what he had said and then responded "OK selected and on profile, ten - sorry hang on 10 DME we’re looking for four thousand aren’t we so - a fraction low". The captain responded, "Check, and Flap 15". This was not acknowledged but the first officer said, "Actually no, we’re not, ten DME we’re..... (The captain whistled at this point) look at that". The captain had noticed that the right hand main gear had not locked down: "I don’t want that." and the first officer responded, "No, that’s not good is it, so she’s not locked, so Alternate Landing Gear...?" The captain acknowledged, "Alternate extension, you want to grab the QRH?" After the First Officer’s "Yes", the captain continued, "You want to whip through that one, see if we can get it out of the way before it’s too late." The captain then stated, "I’ll keep an eye on the airplane while you’re doing that." The first officer located the appropriate "Landing Gear Malfunction Alternate Gear Extension" checklist in Ansett New Zealand’s Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) and began reading it. He started with the first check on the list but the captain told him to skip through some checks. The first officer responded to this instruction and resumed reading and carrying out the necessary actions. It was the operator’s policy that all items on the QRH checklists be actioned, or proceeded through, as directed by the captain. The first officer started carrying out the checklist. The captain in between advised him to pull the Main Gear Release Handle. Then the GPWS’s audio alarm sounded. Almost five seconds later the aircraft collided with terrain. The Dash 8 collided with the upper slope of a low range of hills.

Shortly after takeoff from a field located in Lake Grassmere, while completing the 8th sortie of the morning, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed on hilly terrain. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Sole on board, the pilot was engaged in a crop spraying mission in the region of Taupo. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing at low height, the pilot initiated a right turn when the aircraft lost height and crashed in a pasture about 11 km northeast of Taupo. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was seriously injured.

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.

Shortly after takeoff from Mangakino, while climbing, the single engine aircraft collided with power cables and crashed in a field. The pilot was injured.