ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 62544
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| Date: | Wednesday 30 August 1972 |
| Time: | 17:50 |
| Type: |  APNZ Fletcher FU-24 Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | Mount Cook Air Services Ltd |
| Registration: | ZK-CFQ |
| MSN: | 98 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Lake Tekapo, Canterbury -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Farm airstrip |
| Farm airstrip | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Late in the afternoon of 30/8/72 two aircraft were conducting an aerial topdressing operation at Clayton Station.
One of the pilots observed the other aircraft operating normally. When he looked again moments later he saw smoke and flames on the side of a ridge in the working area. Realizing that there had been an accident he immediately flew back to the airstrip and raised the alarm.
ZK-CFQ had struck the ground with its port wingtip while making a 180 degree RH turn within the confines of a valley. Physical evidence showed that the plane was banked at an angle of 68 degrees when the wingtip touched the slope.
The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and fuel from a ruptured tank ignited completing the destruction. Evidence also showed that the engine was producing high power at the moment of impact. The all-up weight and C of G were found to be well within the permitted limits. The other pilot reported seeing an interruption in the flow of fertilizer in the final sowing run, but there was no sign of a blockage in the hopper outlet. The hopper was empty.
The weather was perfect for aerial topdressing, CAVU and still air.
An autopsy revealed that the 34-year-old pilot had received no fatal injuries in the impact, but there was evidence of coronary occlusion due to arteriosclerotic heart disease.
It was concluded that the pilot had died from a heart attack and traumatic asphixia. It was not clear if the heart attack occurred before or at the time of impact. It would appear however, from the steep angle of bank so close to the ground, that the pilot had become incapacitated and had lost control of his aircraft.
David Russell Wilkes R.I.P.
Sources:
Aircraft Accident Report No. 72-077.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-May-2009 12:58 | XLerate | Added |
| 25-Apr-2014 08:41 | TB | Updated [Cn, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Damage, Narrative] |
| 13-Jan-2017 19:32 | angels one five | Updated [Date, Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Jan-2017 19:53 | angels one five | Updated [Date, Narrative] |
| 02-Aug-2020 22:24 | Ron Averes | Updated [Operator, Location] |
| 05-Feb-2022 00:44 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 24-Jul-2023 08:40 | angels one five | Updated [[Location]] |
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