ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46217
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| Date: | Saturday 6 September 2003 |
| Time: | c. 15:15 |
| Type: |  Cessna T188C AGhusky |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZK-MJD |
| MSN: | T188-03385T |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kai-Iwi, Whanganui -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Farm airstrip |
| Farm airstrip | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA NZ |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
[The aeroplane was on a local flight, originally intended to be three circuits. After flying round the local area at low altitude and speed, the pilot lost control during or shortly after a right turn. The aeroplane 'flicked' into a spin and collided with the tops of a line of pine trees before crashing on to Highway 3. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and fire, and the pilot was killed.]
Pilot: David James Chesswas R.I.P.
The aircraft took off from its home airstrip on a short flight intended to exercise the aircraft's systems in order to prevent the deterioration that could occur due to standing idle during the ' off season '.
The pilot's father, an experienced agricultural pilot himself, observed that the take off roll seemed normal but the aircraft leveled out at a low height and, instead of remaining in the circuit pattern, flew away towards the west passing from sight.
About 20 or 30 minutes later the pilot's father became concerned at the period of time the plane had been away and began scanning the sky to the west. He sighted the aircraft at a low level and apparently turning. It then was lost from view again.
Moments later a column of black smoke arose.
There were several witnesses in the Kai Iwi area who saw the aircraft in its last flight. One of them reported the plane flying overhead at about 100 feet from the ground. Another witness said the plane was flying slower that it normally would. From witnesses' accounts the investigator inferred that the plane was in a right hand turn when control was lost and the aircraft struck the tops of a row of trees before crashing on Highway 3.
On impact the wings separated from the fuselage causing the contents of the wing tanks to spill and explode in a fireball before the plane broke through the roadside barrier coming to rest about five metres down a bank.
The impact with the roadway was not a survivable one and the pilot was killed instantly.
A motorist was unable to avoid the fireball and had to drive through it. He was unharmed.
The flying weather was fine and clear with a westerly breeze of about 15 knots.
The fuselage was consumed by the fierce blaze but the integrity of the flying controls was established.
A bench inspection of the fire and impact damaged engine revealed considerable wear of all the main bearings and five of the six inlet valve faces were found severely worn outside the manufacturer's limits.
The engine had accumulated flying hours of 39% more than the Time Between Overhauls, and was being operated on a system of "on condition" inspections.
The investigator's report included the following conclusions :
No evidence could be found to indicate a pre-accident mechanical failure or loss of power.
The behaviour of the aircraft suggested a significant loss of power occurring just after take off.
This power loss at low level would require a pilot's full attention to obstacle avoidance and to locating a suitable landing area.
The reported loss of control was probably a stall and incipient spin caused by low airspeed during or on completion of a turn.
The ensuing crash was not survivable.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
Aircraft Accident Report Occurrence No. 03/2557.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 12-Feb-2017 20:06 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Feb-2017 21:01 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 23-Jan-2022 07:09 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 15-Sep-2023 07:01 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Location]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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