AO-1995-007 Fletcher FU 24-950 ZK-EMB, stalled at low level and collided with terrain, 11 km north-west of Taupo, 8 May 1995

At approximately 0720 hours on 8 May 1995 a Fletcher FU24-950, ZK-EMB, flown by a recently qualified agricultural pilot, squashed onto the ground in a stalled condition at a high rate of descent, in a wings level attitude. The pilot received serious injuries in the accident. The causal factors were a lack of continuity in training records, the pressure the pilot believed he was under to achieve maximum productivity in his flying with a minimum of delay, the pilot's apparent refusal to accept cautions in relation to his ability, and the Fletcher aircraft's performance during the execution of a limit manoeuvre too close to terrain. The safety deficiencies identified include the necessity for an exchange of information about trainee pilots to occur between instructors, and the need for instructors to keep written records regarding a pilot's training.