ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-3D ZK-AQT Paraparaumu Airport (PPQ)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 22 May 1954
Time:09:23
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas DC-3D
Operator:New Zealand National Airways Corporation - NAC
Registration: ZK-AQT
MSN: 32696/15948
First flight: 1945
Total airframe hrs:12732
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 26
Total:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 28
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:0,8 km (0.5 mls) SW of Paraparaumu Airport (PPQ) (   New Zealand)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Christchurch-Harewood Airport (CHC/NZCH), New Zealand
Destination airport:Paraparaumu Airport (PPQ/NZPP), New Zealand
Flightnumber: 152
Narrative:
The was on final approach to Paraparaumu Airport's runway 03 when both engines quit simultaneously. The airplane dangerously lost speed and height. Attempts to relight the engines were successful. The DC-3 climbed and rolled to the right until the wings assumed a vertical position. The wing then contacted a house on Kohutuhutu Road, causing the outer 12 feet to be sheared off. The airplane continued between two houses, struck trees and powerlines before coming to rest. A fire broke out in the starboard wing area.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "a) Either throughout the flight or a substantial portion of it both engines were drawing fuel from the starboard main tank. b) The selector valves or valve were moved after the engines out, and the valves, when found and checked later, indicated a final setting of each engine to its respective port and starboard main tank. c) The total fuel usage recorded for sixty hours of service by the engines of this aircraft prior to this flight establish that the fuel was used normally by each engine from each tank and that there was no malfunction of the selector equipment. d) The failure of the engines of this aircraft was due to the exhaustion of fuel in the starboard main tank, to which both engines had been selected. e) Having regard to the position and condition of the aircraft at the time of engine failure the subsequent accident to the aircraft was inevitable."

Classification:
Fuel starvation
All engine powerloss
Loss of control

Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 47-AN/42 (105-108)


Photos

photo of Douglas-DC-3D-ZK-AQT
accident date: 22-05-1954
type: Douglas DC-3D (C-47B-25-DK)
registration: ZK-AQT
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Christchurch-Harewood Airport to Paraparaumu Airport as the crow flies is 351 km (219 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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