Inquiries & Recommendations

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ZK-CVG was on a positioning flight from Mount Cook to Fox Glacier in order to conduct some scenic flights, while ZK-HEA was on a local scenic flight from Fox Glacier when a collision occurred. ZK-HEA was landed safely but ZK-CVG descended out of control to the riverbed. The pilot was killed in the ground impact.

The pilot was to fly three passengers from Great Barrier Aerodrome to Auckland Airport. She commenced taxiing the aircraft at a slow walking pace from the parking area to the take-off point for runway 24. The rising sun shining through the windscreen from a low angle made taxiing difficult and the pilot did not recognise that the aircraft was tracking toward a 1.5m deep drainage ditch. The pilot sighted a marker tyre in an unexpected position but was unsuccessful in an attempt to change the aircraft's direction.

An Air New Zealand B737 was on final approach to runway 16, at Wellington Airport when a Piper PA38 Tomahawk was cleared to cross from Wellington City to Petone, maintaining visual separation. The aircraft converged until a loss of separation occurred. Both aircraft were flying in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The pilot of the Tomahawk attempted to take evasive action. The aircraft passed in opposite directions with about 350 m between them. None of the 68 persons on board the aircraft were injured.

On the second landing of a familiarisation flight in the tailwheel aircraft, the pilot under instruction flared too high. The aircraft "skipped" onto the main wheels and a series of rudder overcorrections ensued in the pilot's attempts to maintain directional control. The aircraft groundlooped to the right, the left undercarriage collapsed, and the left wingtip struck the ground.

During a hunting sortie, in which the helicopter was being flown with both doors removed, the pilot manoeuvred the helicopter adjacent to a steep slope to enable the shooter to fire at a deer. The next moment the pilot saw the shooter "flying out the door" and falling some 30 or 40 feet on to the tussock and scrub covered slope. The pilot flew from the area temporarily to summon assistance and subsequently picked up a local doctor and transported him to the scene. The shooter survived the fall but sustained severe injuries to his back and lower limbs.

ZK-FKF was the second in a loose formation of three microlight aircraft which had taken off from Pikes Point Aerodrome, to fly to Raglan. While the formation was flying over the Manukau Harbour, parallel to the north shore, the aircraft was seen to dutch roll, then pitch nose-down. The right wing folded at about one-third span, and the aircraft fell into the sea, killing the pilot.

After leaving Milford Sound with a full load of passengers to fly to Queenstown, the engine of ZK-FTL had begun to run less smoothly than normal so the pilot returned to Milford Sound. Following discussion with engineering staff, and ground running checks, the pilot took off for a test circuit. In the circuit the engine again ran roughly, and on late downwind stopped completely. An area of dry riverbed provided the only option for a forced landing.

On the return leg of a charter flight, the pilot, with three passengers on board Cessna ZK-FGV, had received clearance from Nelson Tower to taxi for runway 20. He had earlier noticed a Metro aircraft with its engines running at what appeared to be idle power. As he was turning from his parked position to enter the taxiway, he passed behind the Metro at an estimated distance of 30 metres. His aircraft began to weathercock and it became apparent that the Metro's engine power had been markedly increased.

The ski-plane made a normal touchdown on the established snow landing area but as the speed reduced the aircraft slowed to the right due to icy surface conditions and a quartering tailwind. It skidded to the left and the left ski dug in to the frozen surface causing minor damage to the left wingtip when it struck the ice.

The aircraft had been chartered to take a 3 person medical team from Taieri Aerodrome to Alexandra and return. Prior to take-off from Alexandra the pilot assessed the wind to be easterly at about 10 knots. He backtracked to a position about 150m or 200m from the threshold of runway 14, selected 10o of flap and commenced take-off. The aircraft accelerated normally and at 50 knots the pilot raised the nose. The aircraft became airborne momentarily but settled again and the pilot decided to abandon the take-off.

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]

The pilot, with a passenger aboard, was making a cross country flight from Takaka in his microlight aircraft. The aircraft was observed to encounter turbulence, due to the prevailing wind conditions, as it flew in the lee of a ridge some 350 feet amsl. The right wing dropped, the nose pitched downwards, and the aircraft continued in a steep spiral to the ground. The passenger was fatally injured and the pilot received serious injuries in the accident.