Date:	Monday 12 February 1962
Time:	c. 12:37
Type:	de Havilland DH.90A Dragonfly
Owner/operator:	Air Charter (NZ)
Registration:	ZK-AFB
MSN:	7560
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Aircraft missing
Location:	Missing, Mount Aspiring area -   New Zealand
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:	Christchurch Airport, Canterbury, New Zealand (NZCH)
Destination airport:	Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
The Dragonfly "Kiwi Rover" departed Christchurch Airport at 09:52 on a scenic flight to Milford Sound, with five persons on board (pilot and four passengers). The estimated time of arrival at Milford was 12:37. It never arrived there and the fate of pilot Brian Chadwick and his four passengers remains unknown to this day.

Pilot and Passengers of ZK-AFB:
Brian Geoffrey Chadwick (pilot).
Passengers:
Darrell Stanley Shields,
Louis Rowan,
Elwyn Saville,
Valerie Gay Saville.

There were many apparent sightings and ‘hearing’ observations on both the eastern side and the western side of the South Island in the areas that the pilot, Brian Chadwick was known to fly, which caused great confusion for the searchers as they didn’t really have any clue as to where to start searching! The outcome was that it became the biggest air search to ever happen in New Zealand, and the searching still continues every so often, to this day. During the original February 1962, search 34 planes flew nearly 400 hours in 167 sorties and covered an area of 17,000 sq. miles. It became known as “The Honeymooners Flight” as Elwyn and Valerie Saville were on their honeymoon.

As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, Search And Rescue operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the airplane nor the five occupants was found. The wreckage of ZK-AFB has never been found, but unconfirmed reports speak of wreckage (which may or may not be ZK-AFB) being discovered in the 3,033 metre (9,951 feet) Mount Aspiring area.

Due to lack of evidence, the cause of the accident could not be determined. Although no cause for the disappearance could be established, the official inquiry drew attention to shortcomings in the plane's maintenance and also to its being overloaded, although fuel consumption in the first hour of flight would have eliminated the overloading.

1. Lost Without Trace: Brian Chadwick & the Missing Dragonfly by Richard Waugh
2. https://www.findlostaircraft.co.nz/zk-afb.html
3. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH90.pdf
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p075.html
5. https://www.dh90.info/
6. https://www.airhistory.net/photo/193268/ZK-AFB [ZK-AFB at Christchurch May 1961--January 1962]
7. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/search-continues-for-wreckage-of-plane-that-went-missing-in-1962/7K5Q7P773N5JZN5H45AAKIFKSQ/
9. https://www.aviationfilm.com/aircraft/dh90/index.shtml
10. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/461370/search-continues-for-wreckage-of-plane-that-went-missing-in-1962
11. https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/disasters-and-mishaps-air-losses/page-4
12. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/womans-fashion-boot-could-solve-one-of-new-zealands-greatest-aviation-puzzles/3P7TB5NISZQDCYVQ2T4PEI6FDU/
13. https://theoutdoorphonestore.com/13127/last-flight-dragonfly-investigate-dec-05/
14. https://www.1news.co.nz/2021/01/07/christchurch-family-ask-for-specialist-help-to-find-plane-missing-for-60-years/
15. https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/15135

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Sep-2008 01:00	ASN archive	Added
26-Oct-2008 10:40	angels one five	Updated
21-Mar-2010 13:47	TB	Updated [Aircraft type, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
01-Apr-2010 12:16	angels one five	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, ]
09-Jan-2011 09:37	TB	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, ]
11-Jan-2017 04:14	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ]
08-Aug-2020 04:37	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, Damage, ]
22-Jan-2022 09:09	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type, ]
02-Feb-2022 01:52	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, ]
16-Nov-2022 00:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ]
16-Nov-2022 00:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
16-Nov-2022 00:25	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
16-Nov-2022 19:12	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
16-Nov-2022 19:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
16-Nov-2022 19:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, ]