ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 62116
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| Date: | Saturday 1 December 1973 |
| Time: | 14:25 |
| Type: | Taylor J.T.2 Titch |
| Owner/operator: | R Robson |
| Registration: | ZK-DFK |
| MSN: | AACA 112 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Whitianga Aerodrome, Waikato -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Whitianga NZWT |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Pilot Roland Robson (52). R.I.P.
An air pageant which had included a display by RNZAF jets concluded at 1400.
The accident pilot had constructed his ultralight plane himself and was quite proud of it, and rightly so.
At the end of the flying program he approached the pageant controller and asked if a handling display by an ultralight aircraft was required and was told no, as the air display had concluded.
The pilot then took off from runway 22 and held the little plane down to a height of about 10 feet until level with a group of spectators and then pulled up into a steep climb.
On reaching 300-400 feet the aircraft was being visibly buffeted by the turbulent flying weather.
An experienced RNZAF flying instructor watching said that the aircraft appeared to be flying too slowly for the prevailing conditions.
A lowering of the nose was observed and the ultralight plane then rolled into a steep left turn, giving the impression that the pilot intended to change direction 180 degrees and make a high speed downwind pass over the runway.
After a change of direction of about 90 degrees the port wing dropped violently and the aircraft fell into a LH spin. After about two turns the spin ceased and the plane was seen to show a tendency to enter a RH spin.
A steep dive then ensued, and before the plane disappeared behind an intervening building it was seen to be " squashing " down in an almost horizontal attitude and sinking rapidly.
The plane impacted in a tidal mangrove swamp and was destroyed. The pilot was killed. There was no fire.
The weather at the time was : Surface wind about 250 deg. Mag., 20 knots and gusting 25 knots.
The conditions were described as " very turbulent " at lower levels with an area of particularly strong turbulence just off the departure end of the active runway.
The pilot had taken up flying late in life and had accumulated a total of 248 flying hours, 28 of them dual instruction and including 108 hours in the Titch.
There were no entries in his logbook to show that he had ever received any dual instruction in spinning and recovery.
It was not known whether he had explored the stalling characteristics of his ultralight plane.
The pilot appeared to keep full power on during the spin and his attempt to recover from the resulting dive.
Enquiries showed that the pilot was a cautious aviator and not inclined to over confidence.
The investigator concluded :
" The accident was caused by the unintentional incurrence of a stall and subsequent spin at an altitude below that necessary for a safe recovery."
Air Accident Report No. 73-145.
Sources:
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-May-2009 12:58 | XLerate | Added |
| 12-Nov-2009 13:45 | angels one five | Updated |
| 31-May-2011 23:05 | angels one five | Updated [Nature, Narrative] |
| 14-Jun-2011 05:40 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Narrative, Plane category, ] |
| 02-Jan-2012 00:46 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 10-Jul-2020 00:40 | Ron Averes | Updated [Narrative, Plane category] |
| 12-Feb-2022 09:11 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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