ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 122909
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Tuesday 13 August 1968 |
| Time: | 11:17 |
| Type: | RAS Fletcher FU-1160 |
| Owner/operator: | Robertson Air Service Ltd |
| Registration: | ZK-BHQ |
| MSN: | 2001 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Te Maire, King Country -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Farm airstrip |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fletcher FU24 ZK-BHQ c/n 19 had been converted in late 1967 to turbo-prop power by the installation of a Garrett TPE 331 gas turbine engine. Redesignated FU1160 with new c/n 2001.
It was the second turbo-prop light aircraft in New Zealand, after Fletcher FU1060, ZK-CTZ.
On 13/8/68 the plane was engaged in an aerial topdressing operation on a farm near Taumarunui.
On the 43rd sortie of the day the aircraft failed to return to the airstrip as expected and a search found the crashed and burning Fletcher about mid-way between the sowing area and the airstrip. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the fire was largely confined to the engine bay and cockpit.
The pilot Robert Neville Scott was dead.
Evidence showed that the pilot had made a 90 degree turn back towards the airstrip and had commenced jettisoning the 20 hundredweight ( 2,240 pounds, 995 kg ) superphosphate hopper load.
The aircraft collided with the terrain on a 15 degree rising grassy slope at a low forward speed and high rate of descent.
About 15 hundredweight of the load was still in the hopper.
Both fuel tanks had been ruptured in the crash and there was an absence of Avtur odour on the ground around the LH tank.
The engine was producing high rotational energy at the time of impact.
There was no evidence of mechanical failure prior to impact.
An autopsy of the pilot produced no evidence that the fire had begun in the air.
The accident investigators found that :
" 2.2.1. (f). An in-flight emergency arose and influenced the pilot either to initiate a return to the airstrip or to make an immediate forced landing.
2.2.1. (g). The evidence suggests but does not conclusively prove that insufficient fuel flow resulting in partial loss of engine power influenced the pilot so to act.
2.2.1. (h). The emergency arose at a time when fuel quantity was marginal for continued operation without refuelling. "
Sources:
Air Accident Report No. 1837
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Jun-2011 20:42 | angels one five | Added |
| 20-Jun-2011 01:20 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 26-Feb-2012 02:20 | Anon. | Updated [Registration, Narrative] |
| 05-Oct-2013 16:43 | TB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Apr-2014 15:11 | TB | Updated [Location] |
| 11-Jan-2017 00:15 | angels one five | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 24-Sep-2021 11:16 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 06-Feb-2022 22:49 | Ron Averes | Updated [Cn, Location, Narrative] |
| 06-Feb-2022 23:11 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation