Region
Oceania

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

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1980 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-CRP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kaitaia – Whangarei
MSN:
125
YOM:
1966
Location:
Kaikohe
Northland Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
16.00
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Kaitaia at 1134LT being ferried to Whangarei. En route, the pilot made a low pass over his parent's house located in the Mataraua Valley then completed a 360° probably to gain height when the airplane crashed in the bush about 8 miles southwest of Kaikohe. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident was the inability of the pilot to recover from a stall incurred while manoeuvering an aircraft with unfamiliar performance characteristics at a low level in hilly terrain.

Ground accident of a De Havilland DH.104 Devon in Wellington

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1980
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1820
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
04411
Location:
Wellington
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing, the crew encountered technical problems with the braking systems. The captain decided to raise the landing gear when the aircraft sank on its belly and came to a halt. Both occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Fletcher FU-24-950 in Waipukurau

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-EMF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
257
YOM:
1978
Location:
Waipukurau
Hawke's Bay Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while engaged in a local spraying mission. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was injured.

Crash of a Grumman G-44 Widgeon in Kaipara Harbour: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Grumman G-44 Widgeon
Operator:
Sea Bee Air
Registration:
ZK-BGQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Auckland - Kaipara Harbour
MSN:
1391
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kaipara Harbour
Auckland Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Kaipara Harbour while on a flight from Mechanics Bay. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a PAC Cresco 08-600 in Maramarua

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1979
Type of aircraft:
PAC Cresco 08-600 (08-750)
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-LTP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
001
YOM:
1979
Location:
Maramarua
Waikato Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a test flight on this first PAC Cresco 08-600 prototype. En route, the pilot lost control of the airplane after the tail detached. The single engine airplane entered a dive and while the pilot was able to parachute to safety, the airplane crashed and was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Structural failure of the tail in flight.

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

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-CRX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Carterton - Carterton
MSN:
123
YOM:
1966
Location:
Carterton
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located few km north of Carterton while completing a local crop spraying mission. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

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

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1979 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-CPN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Horohoro - Horohoro
MSN:
4
YOM:
1954
Location:
Horohoro
Waikato Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot commenced work that day at 07:30, flying to an airstrip from where topdressing operations were to be carried out. At about 08:30 he took off on a survey flight accompanied by the lessee of the property. The passenger pointed out to the pilot the location of a 220 kilovolt power transmission line consisting of six conductor wires that ran above the eastern section of the farm, the area to be topdressed. The pilot then used the airstrip to finish a sowing operation on another farm. On the completion of that task the pilot turned his attention to topdressing the area he had surveyed some three hours earlier. With the aircraft refueled he took off to make his first runs. ZK-CPN did not return from this flight. Two men working on a fence line saw the aircraft approaching from the direction of the airstrip. It passed out of their sight behind a large knoll, but they could tell from the sound of the motor that it was making sowing runs. The Fletcher then came back into view banking steeply and turning right. The men saw " something white " fall from the plane just before it dived into the ground. Rushing to the crash scene they found the wreckage of ZK-CPN lying upside down in a creek. Fire had not broken out.There was no sign of life. The pair set off at once to get assistance.The investigation showed that 1.4 meters of the outboard section of the right wing had been severed from the airframe by one of the lower conductor wires of the high voltage transmission line that ran above the sowing area. Evidence of impact by an aircraft was found on the wire. The RH aileron balance was found some distance away from the severed wing section and had been separated by impact with the wire as well. The aircraft had rolled uncontrollably to the right and dived, crashing inverted and in a near-vertical attitude. This was not a survivable accident. The flying weather at the time was fine with only high cloud. The visibility was estimated as 30 km.
Probable cause:
The investigator found that the probable cause of this accident was that damage sustained when the aircraft collided with a power conductor wire deprived the pilot of control of the aircraft.

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

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-CAY
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paparata - Paparata
MSN:
79
YOM:
1962
Location:
Paparata
Auckland Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Flying operations commenced at 07:30 a.m. after a delay caused by unfavourable weather. Twenty-seven loads of fertilizer were sown before the pilot and loader driver stopped for a 30-minute break. During this break the plane was refueled to capacity. After the break the pilot instructed the loader driver to put the same load in the hopper as before and then started his take off from the sloping airstrip. A witness thought the aircraft was taking longer to get off the ground than it had earlier. The loader driver looked up to see the plane in a left hand turn at a height of 30 to 40 feet just off the end of the strip and "porpoising". The angle of bank was then seen to increase to beyond vertical, and the plane crashed in an inverted attitude on the far side of a nearby gully. It was destroyed by impact and an intense fire and the pilot, sole on board, was killed. This was not a survivable accident.
Probable cause:
The accident investigator found that a freshening of the breeze during the rest and refueling break caused a slightly increased tailwind component on the take off run. This, combined with a full hopper load and full fuel meant that the aircraft no longer had sufficient distance available to become fully airborne in. The Fletcher had flown through a fence at the end of airstrip in a nose high attitude and the impact of a concrete post had damaged the left stabilator and wrenched it out of alignment with the fuselage. This damage also affected the free movement of the control. The fertilizer load was not jettisoned. There was no evidence that the MAUW had been exceeded but the plane was clearly overloaded for the ambient conditions. The CG was within the permitted limits. The weather was favourable for aerial topdressing with high cloud, a light breeze, and good visibility. The engine was developing full power right up until the final impact. The investigator concluded his report with the opinion that the probable cause of the accident was that the pilot was unable to maintain control after damage to a flight control system occurred when the aircraft failed to become airborne and struck a fence at the end of the airstrip.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 500 off Auckland: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1979 at 1435 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-NFC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Gisborne - Auckland
MSN:
10456
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
NZ4374
Location:
Auckland
Auckland Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
18718
Aircraft flight cycles:
25704
Circumstances:
On final approach to Auckland-Ardmore Airport, the aircraft's speed increased from 165 to 211 knots. The pilot-in-command (first officer) completed a last turn to join the runway 05 but was unable to locate it due to heavy showers. Too low, the airplane struck water surface and crashed in shallow water 1,025 meters short of runway 05 threshold. A pilot and a passenger were killed while two other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the crew being misled, by a visual illusion in conditions of reduced visibility, into believing they were at a safe height and consequently failing to monitor the flight instruments sufficiently to confirm their aircraft maintained a safe approach path. The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Fletcher FU24-950M in Kakatahi: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-DZL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
213
YOM:
1976
Location:
Kakatahi
Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons Regional Council)
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Kakatahi. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
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