Date:	Saturday 29 March 1980
Time:	18:15
Type:	Grumman American AA-5 Traveler
Owner/operator:	Wellington Districts Aero Club
Registration:	ZK-DKZ
MSN:	AA5-0419
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Otaki, Wellington 5 -   New Zealand
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	NZPP
Destination airport:	NZPP
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
DKZ flew into high tension power wires when an instructor was training a pre-solo student pilot in the procedure to be followed in the event of an engine failure soon after take off (EFATO). The exercise was being carried out in a designated Low Flying Area.

The plane was climbing away from the last attempt before returning to Parararaumu Airport and heading towards the setting sun when it collided with two wires of the national electric power grid at height of about 36 feet (11metres) and was suspended above the ground. The aircraft caught fire and then fell to the ground.

Both occupants escaped with serious burns. The student pilot survived, but the instructor died from his injuries seven days later.

Kevin Warren Laplanche R.I.P.

1. Civil Air Accident Files, Archives New Zealand

2. King, John (1995). Aviation Accidents and Disasters. New Zealand Tragedies. Grantham House. pp. 185-186. ISBN 1 86934 042 6.
3. Aircraft Accident Report No. 80-042
4. AHSNZ, 1980, Newsletter 4.

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


23 December 1978

ZK-DKZ

Wellington Districts Aero Club

Paraparaumu, Wellington 5

unk

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
19-Feb-2009 21:00	angels one five	Added
22-May-2009 02:33	XLerate	Updated
24-May-2009 04:11	angels one five	Updated
09-Jun-2009 21:01	XLerate	Updated
14-Mar-2016 20:35	angels one five	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
25-May-2018 09:43	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, ]
26-May-2018 01:08	Ron Averes	Updated [Cn, ]
08-Aug-2020 03:05	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, ]
23-Sep-2021 14:13	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, ]
29-Dec-2021 06:28	angels one five	Updated [Phase, ]
13-Feb-2022 04:01	Ron Averes	Updated [Location, ]
27-Feb-2022 04:30	Ron Averes	Updated [Source, ]