ASN Aircraft accident Fokker F-27 Friendship 500 ZK-NFC Auckland International Airport (AKL)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 17 February 1979
Time:14:35
Type:Silhouette image of generic F27 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Fokker F-27 Friendship 500
Operator:Air New Zealand
Registration: ZK-NFC
MSN: 10456
First flight: 1971
Total airframe hrs:18718
Cycles:25704
Engines: 2 Rolls-Royce Dart 532-7R
Crew:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Total:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:1 km (0.6 mls) W off Auckland International Airport (AKL) (   New Zealand)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Gisborne Airport (GIS/NZGS), New Zealand
Destination airport:Auckland International Airport (AKL/NZAA), New Zealand
Flightnumber:4374
Narrative:
At 14:28 hours Flight 4374 had levelled out at 3000 feet with the undercarriage and flaps up and was being radar vectored for an ILS approach to Auckland Airport. When visual flight conditions were encountered and the captain commenced the descent the aircraft was 9 miles from the runway threshold at an airspeed of approximately 165 knots and in a good position to carry out a normal descent and approach for a landing on runway 05. About one minute later, at 2 minutes 14 seconds prior to colliding with the sea, the aircraft's IAS had increased to 211 knots (11 knots in excess of the company's stipulated
Vno) and the aircraft was passing through 1436 feet. Some 1 minute 20 seconds prior to the accident the aircraft's engine power was probably reduced to the minimum recommended setting for a descent. During the base turn the engine power was probably increased as the aircraft maintained an essentially constant altitude and airspeed during this turn. At this point the flaps were still retracted and the aircraft was not aligned with the runway. At that moment a heavy shower was obscuring the runway threshold. The first officer was not able to see any approach or runway lights. The aircraft descended until it collided with the water of Manukau Harbour, 1025 m west of the runway 05 threshold.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was probably caused by the crew being misled, by a visual illusion in conditions of reduced visibility, into believing they were at a safe height and consequently failing to monitor the flight instruments sufficiently to confirm their aircraft maintained a safe approach path."

Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Water

Sources:
» Aircraft Accident Report No. 79-034 Air New Zealand Manukau Harbour 17 February 1979 Fokker F27-500 Friendship ZK-NFC
» Flight International 10 March 1979 (717)
» Willem Wendt


Follow-up / safety actions

MoT NZ issued 26 Safety Recommendations

Show all...

Photos

photo of Fokker-F-27500-ZK-NFC
accident date: 17-02-1979
type: Fokker F-27 Friendship 500
registration: ZK-NFC
photo of Fokker-F-27500-ZK-NFC
accident date: 17-02-1979
type: Fokker F-27 Friendship 500
registration: ZK-NFC
 

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 Gisborne Airport to Auckland International Airport as the crow flies is 334 km (209 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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