ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 59527
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 30 March 1994 |
| Time: | c. 08:20 LT |
| Type: |  NZAI Fletcher FU-24-950 |
| Owner/operator: | Jetspread Ltd |
| Registration: | ZK-DZB |
| MSN: | 202 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Ngaruawahia, Waikato -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Farm airstrip |
| Farm airstrip | |
| Investigating agency: | TAIC |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The aircraft stalled and collided with terrain after apparently aborting a sowing run. It entered an incipient spin and struck the ground in a steep nose-down attitude. The crash killed the pilot and destroyed the aircraft. Location 2 nm south of Ngaruawahia.
The accident pilot was in the process of obtaining a NZ Agricultural Pilot Rating having completed an Australian course in agricultural flying. He was the holder of a NZ Commercial Pilot Licence ( Aeroplane ) .
On 30/3/94 he was flying under the supervision, from the ground, of an E Category instructor. There was R/T communication between the pilot and the instructor.
The day's operation commenced at about 06:30 with the student flying and the instructor operating the loader.The intention was to fly for two hours when a break would be taken in order to rest the trainee pilot, check the fuel state, and review the sowing operation so far.
Shortly before 08:20 the trainee took off on what was about the twentieth sowing flight of the day. The Fletcher was loaded with 19 hundredweight (cwt) or 965 kg of lime in the hopper. The usual pattern was flown and the aircraft was positioned for a sowing run along a ridge face at about 100 feet AGL. However, on this run no lime was dropped and at about the usual commencement point for sowing the aircraft made a sharp turn to the left and flew out over level ground, away from the ridge. After turning through about 120 degrees the plane pitched nose-down suddenly and dived almost vertically into the ground. It bounced over a hedge and came to rest 10 metres beyond the initial point of impact. This was not a survivable crash. Despite the spillage of considerable fuel no fire broke out.
The flying weather was calm with good visibility. Weather was not a factor in this accident.
No firm reason for the pilot to abandon his sowing run and make a steep turn away from the ridge could be found. It was noted that the change of heading took the plane on a course towards the sun and also a 100- feet-tall tree that may have caused the pilot to take abrupt avoiding action, causing the plane to stall and fall into an incipient spin from which control could not be regained owing to the limited height available.
David Joseph O'Dwyer, R.I.P.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. TAIC Investigation 94-010
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Apr-2009 22:01 | XLerate | Added |
| 06-Feb-2010 23:04 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Source] |
| 23-Apr-2010 02:19 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 19-Dec-2016 08:37 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 19-Jun-2017 05:17 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 06-Feb-2022 09:58 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation