What happened
At approximately 1635 hours, a Piper (registration ZK-SFE) was conducting a flight from Koromiko to Wellington, with an intended stop at the Tiraora Lodge airstrip. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and five passengers. During the approach to the airstrip, the pilot encountered turbulence caused by westerly winds and significant sun glare that obscured the visibility of the runway. Relying on the shadow of a nearby ridge to estimate the runway's location, the pilot continued the descent.
While on approach, the aircraft encountered a downdraught, necessitating increased power to maintain the glidepath. The pilot attempted a missed approach by initiating a left turn at an altitude of 200 feet. During this maneuver, the aircraft's airspeed had dropped below 88 knots. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at a very low speed and banking steeply during the turn. As the pilot attempted to climb, the aircraft struck a telephone line.
Following the impact with the wire, the pilot experienced difficulty managing engine power and pitch. The aircraft ultimately descended into the water of Northwest Bay at an angle of approximately 25 degrees. Despite the nose-down attitude upon impact, all six occupants survived the accident and were assisted to the shore.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary cause was the pilot's decision to continue the approach at 200 feet altitude despite being unable to visually identify the runway, threshold, or windsock. Several contributing factors were identified:
- The pilot's lack of familiarity with both the specific aircraft type and the Tiraora Lodge airstrip.
- A failure to visually verify the flap position after attempting to transition from landing to takeoff configuration.
- The presence of a substantial downdraught during the maneuver.
- Obstructions, specifically telephone lines, located within the landing area's protected zone.
- Inadequate training regarding strip operations and aircraft systems.