ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 247412
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| Date: | Wednesday 3 February 2021 |
| Time: | c. 17:30 |
| Type: |  Cessna 172G Skyhawk |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZK-COM |
| MSN: | 172-54586 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Old Man Range, Otago -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Cromwell Racecourse Airport (NZCS) |
| Gore Airport (NZGC) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA NZ |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On the day of the accident, the pilot departed Cromwell Racecourse Airport at 17:09 for a private flight to Gore Airport, which was a flight the pilot had done numerous times and on a regular basis.
The pilot initially flew in a southerly direction and climbed to 4900 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). After the aircraft
passed abeam Clyde it turned to the south-east briefly before turning back towards the south. It tracked towards a saddle between the Old Woman and Old Man Ranges, and after crossing the saddle at 5000 feet AMSL (about 200 feet above terrain) it entered the east branch of the upper Waikaia Valley.
Shortly after crossing the saddle the aircraft turned to the right, back towards the north and then continued turning in a series of right-hand orbits and descended to 4800 feet AMSL in a valley. After the second orbit and while on an easterly heading, the aircraft struck terrain at high speed in a steep right wing down angle of bank, at an elevation of 4790 feet on the eastern side of the valley
key findings:
Human factors
• It is likely that the pre-flight weather assessment carried out by the pilot did not include all of the forecast weather along the entire route
• the route flown and the decision to continue took the aircraft towards deteriorating weather and an area with limited options for the pilot to divert
• the aircraft configuration and airspeed were not suitable for conditions of reduced visibility
Environmental factors
• a moving frontal system meant the weather was likely suitable for flying at the destination but not along the route flown
• the local terrain and weather conditions likely led to orographic cloud formation at the location of the accident, which likely blocked the pilot’s only escape route
Mechanical factors
• no mechanical factors were identified
Sources:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/search-for-missing-pilot-and-plane-in-central-otago/PCBJ3DE6GN33E4IEOTEHBVIESY/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/124142250/mans-body-recovered-following-search-for-missing-light-aircraft-in-central-otago
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/124141945/search-for-missing-light-plane-and-pilot-in-central-
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/zk-com#26bb2c98
https://photos.smugmug.com/Oceania/New-Zealand/New-Zealand-Light-Aircraft/i-Sz3fp9R/0/a31d8833/XL/ZK-COM_NZRC_210312_1200-XL.jpg (photo)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 18 May 1975 | ZK-COM | Rotorua Aero Club | 0 | Wellington Airport, Wellington 1 | |
sub |
Images:
Taieri 24October 2013
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Feb-2021 09:38 | gerard57 | Added |
| 03-Feb-2021 10:32 | RobertMB | Updated [Date, Time, Aircraft type, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Feb-2021 19:14 | gerard57 | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 03-Feb-2021 19:15 | gerard57 | Updated [Narrative] |
| 03-Feb-2021 19:38 | RobertMB | Updated [Date, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Feb-2021 07:26 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Feb-2021 07:39 | bushpilotnz | Updated [Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Source] |
| 04-Feb-2021 07:39 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 04-Feb-2021 07:59 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Feb-2021 10:05 | Wingnut | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Narrative] |
| 04-Feb-2021 10:06 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Feb-2021 17:28 | Gazza | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 05-Feb-2021 17:40 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Feb-2021 09:35 | flyernzl | Updated [Photo] |
| 03-Feb-2022 00:48 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 25-Jan-2023 06:57 | Ron Averes | Updated [Cn] |
| 24-Jul-2023 09:09 | harro | Updated [Narrative, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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