AO-2003-004 Piper PA 31-350 Navajo Chieftain ZK-NCA, controlled flight into terrain, near Christchurch Aerodrome, 6 June 2003

On Friday 6 June 2003, Air Adventures New Zealand Limited Piper PA 31-350 Navajo Chieftain aeroplane ZK-NCA, was on an air transport charter flight from Palmerston North to Christchurch with one pilot and 9 passengers. At 1907 it was on an instrument approach to Christchurch Aerodrome at night in instrument meteorological conditions when it descended below minimum altitude, in a position where reduced visibility prevented runway or approach lights from being seen, to collide with trees and terrain 1.2 nm short of the runway. The pilot and 7 passengers were killed, and 2 passengers received serious injury. The aircraft was destroyed.

The accident probably resulted from the pilot becoming distracted from monitoring his altitude at a critical stage of the approach. The possibility of pilot incapacitation is considered unlikely, but cannot be ruled out.

Safety issues identified included:

· the desirability of adoption of TAWS equipment for smaller IFR air transport aircraft
· the need for VFR/IFR operators to have practical procedures for observing cellphone rules during flight
· the need for pilots on single-pilot IFR operations to use optimum procedures during instrument approaches.

Three safety recommendations to address these issues were made to the Director of Civil Aviation.