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
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
16
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.
