What happened
On the afternoon of Saturday, 21 October 1995, a private flight departed from Big Bay, destined for Alexandra. The aircraft, a ZK-DRC, had been flown from Alexandra to Big Bay earlier that day by the pilot to collect two passengers—the pilot's son and a friend. During the return leg of the journey, the aircraft failed to reach its destination. Following a search operation by a helicopter the following morning, the wreckage was discovered near the Fohn Saddle at an altitude of approximately 4,760 feet. The aircraft had impacted a snow terrace following a stall. The accident resulted in three fatalities.
The investigation
Investigators focused on the flight path and the circumstances surrounding the aircraft's disappearance between Big Bay and Alexandra. The search efforts identified the crash site on a snow-covered terrace. The investigation examined the flight's progression and the physical state of the wreckage to determine the sequence of events leading to the impact. While the wreckage was located near the Fohn Saddle, the investigation could not determine a definitive reason for the loss of control.