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| Date: | Saturday 23 March 2019 |
| Time: | c. 22:00 LT |
| Type: |  Diamond DA42 Twin Star |
| Owner/operator: | Ardmore Flying School Ltd |
| Registration: | ZK-EAP |
| MSN: | 42.258 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Te Kohatuakaiuru, Kaimanawa Range -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Palmerston North Airport (PMR/NZPM) |
| Taupo Airport (TUO/NZAP) | |
| Investigating agency: | TAIC |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Diamond DA42 with two experienced flight instructors onboard was reported missing near the Kaimanawa Ranges whilst en-route on a cross country IFR flight from Palmerston North to Taupō. The aircraft was located in steep terrain on Sunday the 24th of March at 11:30, about 24 km east of Tūrangi. Both pilots were fatally injured.
Following a 2 year investigation, The Transport Accident Investigation Commission found that the pilots descended the DA42 below the specified minimum safe altitude for the area in which the aeroplane was being flown, and a case of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) had occurred.
The Commission also found that the pilot operated the aeroplane outside the parameters required for ‘direct routing’ navigation in uncontrolled airspace, when attempting to connect with an instrument approach from the en-route phase of the flight. No evidence that any malfunction or unserviceability with the aeroplane, or any medical issue, contributed to the accident and the aircraft was equipped with a terrain proximity warning system but it was very likely not used by the pilots.
Also found were weaknesses in the flight-authorisation procedures at Ardmore Flying School permitting pilots to conduct flights without the applicable authorisation, and therefore supervision, of senior instructors.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/plane-missing-over-north-island/ar-BBV8Uz7?li=BBSVtLJ
2. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12215694
4. http://www.davidwallphoto.com/detail/23709-Kaimanawa-Ranges,-Central-Plateau,-North-Island,-New-Zealand-_-aerial.html
5. https://www.taic.org.nz/inquiry/ao-2019-003
6. https://www.taic.org.nz/sites/default/files/inquiry/documents/AO-2019-003%20Final%20Report_2.pdf
7. https://www.taic.org.nz/sites/default/files/inquiry/documents/AO-2019-003%20wreckage%20on%20site_1.jpg
Location
Images:
Ardmore 16Jan2019
Photo: TAIC
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Mar-2019 23:33 | Geno | Added |
| 23-Mar-2019 23:57 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 24-Mar-2019 00:12 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 24-Mar-2019 00:29 | RobertMB | Updated [Damage] |
| 24-Mar-2019 04:56 | RobertMB | Updated [Total fatalities, Narrative] |
| 24-Mar-2019 07:39 | flyernzl | Updated [Registration, Cn, Damage, Narrative, Photo] |
| 24-Mar-2019 11:45 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 25-Mar-2019 07:31 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Mar-2019 17:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 07-Aug-2020 09:05 | Anon. | Updated [Location] |
| 09-Oct-2021 04:50 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 06-Nov-2021 10:01 | JMW69 | Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 06-Nov-2021 10:03 | harro | Updated [Narrative, Accident report, Photo] |
| 06-Nov-2021 10:04 | harro | Updated [Nature, Embed code] |
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