Date & Time:
Sep 8, 2001 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fletcher FU-24
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-CMN
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Waiotira - Waiotira
MSN:
118
YOM:
1966
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
14935
Circumstances:
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.
