Accident Overview
On a scheduled flight from Hamilton Airport to New Plymouth, operated on behalf of Eagle Airways, the aircraft departed from runway 36. Six minutes after takeoff, while climbing through 5,000 feet, the crew reported a left engine failure to air traffic control and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. Four minutes later, the right engine also failed. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude and crashed in an open field approximately 9 kilometers from Hamilton Airport. All six occupants were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be failure of both engines after the crew failed to realize that the fuel selector was positioned on the wrong fuel tank. Contributing factors included: after the second engine failure, the crew failed to plan effectively for a forced landing, and ultimately failed to maintain controlled flight. Probable factors contributing to these failures were workload, time pressure, unfamiliarity with the situation, and inexperience on type.