What happened
A chartered flight, carrying a group of tourists from Germany, crashed in a remote area of the Franz Josef Glacier. The flight, operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), had departed from Glent-tanner with the intention of performing scenic tours throughout the Mount Cook region before proceeding to Queenstown. At approximately 11:53 hours, air traffic services received a taxiing call from the aircraft; however, subsequent attempts by Christchurch Flight Information to establish further contact were unsuccessful.
Later that afternoon, wreckage was located at an elevation of 4,500 feet above mean sea level. The debris field was situated within a highly complex area of the glacier characterized by severe crevasses and steep pinnacles. The impact of the crash resulted in all fatalities for both the crew and the passengers on board.
The investigation
Investigators identified the aircraft as a ZK-NOM. The investigation focused on the flight path from Glentanner toward Queenstown and the circumstances surrounding the loss of communication with Christchurch Flight Information. The search and recovery efforts were complicated by the difficult terrain of the glacier, where the wreckage was found embedded in a heavily fractured glacial landscape.