AO-1997-002

Cessna 310Q ZK-KIM, loss of control after take-off, near Queenstown Aerodrome, 3 January 1997
Status
Closed
Occurrence Date
Report Publication Date
Jurisdiction
NZ
Legacy Inquiry Number
97-002
On Friday 3 January 1997, at 1357 hours, Cessna 310Q aeroplane ZK-KIM, on a private flight to Ardmore, was turning after take-off from Queenstown when it entered a spin or spiral dive which led to a collision with the ground. The pilot and all five passengers were killed.

The position of the Remarkables Range, in relation to runway 14, restricted the space available and precluded a normal visual horizon reference for the pilot during the turn.

Inadvertent mishandling of the aircraft by the pilot probably resulted from his inexperience and lack of mountain flying skills. Misloading could have adversely affected the handling qualities of the aircraft.
Location
near Queenstown Aerodrome (-45.038839,168.754892) [may be approximate]