Executive summary
On Tuesday 17 December 2002, at 2036, ZK-TZC, a twin engine Piper PA31-325 Navajo, took off from Feilding Aerodrome on a visual flight rules flight to Paraparaumu. The pilot and his 2 young sons were on board.
A few minutes later when the aeroplane was level at 1000 feet near Palmerston North Aerodrome some problem, probably with the left engine, occurred and the pilot turned back to Feilding Aerodrome. With the left propeller feathered the pilot flew an irregular low-level circuit in an attempt to land. During a left base turn, with the flaps and undercarriage extended, he lost control of the aeroplane. The aeroplane rotated away from the aerodrome and then struck the ground nose first in a near vertical attitude. The pilot and his 2 sons died in the unsurvivable accident.
No conclusive reason was found to explain why the left propeller was feathered. The pilot’s actions in the handling of the emergency and in his attempt to land at Feilding Aerodrome with one engine inoperative are unaccountable.
No new safety deficiencies were identified.
[An erratum was approved by the Commission on 16 August 2004. This report includes the erratum covering paragraphs 1.5.22, 2.7, and 2.8].