Date:	Monday 8 August 1977
Time:	21:30
Type:	Cessna 404 Titan
Owner/operator:	Dalhoff & King Flying School Ltd
Registration:	ZK-TAS
MSN:	404-0067
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Sea off Motunau, Canterbury -   New Zealand
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Wellington
Destination airport:	Christchurch
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
During a courier flight from Wellington to Christchurch, the pilot Victor Donnelly reported handling problems shortly after starting a descent from the cruising altitude of 10,000 feet. At 9:30 pm, he radioed Christchurch, saying "Tango Alpha Sierra - Mayday. I've lost control - I've shut an engine down - engine fires." and a few seconds later "I've lost it - I'm going to hit...

The crash site was not found and police investigated a possible theft of the aircraft. The official accident report gave possible causes as disorientation in cloud while trying to deal with an emergency, loss of control because of airframe ice build-up, structural failure with a severe fire in the engine bay, an explosion in hazardous cargo, a failure of the flying control system or possible criminal mischief.

1. http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
2. King, John (1995). Aviation Accidents and Disasters. New Zealand Tragedies. Grantham House. pp. 127-128. ISBN 1 86934 042 6
3. Aircraft Accident Report No. 77-100
4. AHSNZ, 1981, Newsletter 6.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-May-2009 12:58	XLerate	Added
25-May-2009 00:24	XLerate	Updated
31-Dec-2010 17:04	TB	Updated [Damage]
08-Jan-2011 15:57	TB	Updated [Time, Cn]
29-May-2018 04:22	Ron Averes	Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative]
22-Sep-2021 01:15	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]
01-Feb-2022 02:01	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]
11-Feb-2022 19:58	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]
27-Feb-2022 13:20	Ron Averes	Updated [Source]
27-Feb-2022 13:22	Ron Averes	Updated [Source, Narrative]