Incident
A pilot was ferrying an aircraft from Tauranga to a maintenance facility in Hamilton when one of the engines failed. The pilot decided to turn back toward Tauranga, but shortly after, the remaining engine also failed. The pilot executed a forced landing into a tidal estuary, resulting in substantial damage to the nose landing gear.
Investigation
Subsequent investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) determined that on an earlier flight, the aircraft's electrical system had developed a defect that rendered several electrical components unserviceable, including the two tip/main fuel tank selector valves. No engineering inspection or rectification was performed, and the operator subsequently ferried the aircraft from Great Barrier Island without being aware that the engines were drawing fuel only from the tip tanks. The operator then departed Tauranga for Hamilton under similar circumstances. As the aircraft approached the vicinity of the Kaimai Ranges, the tip tanks became empty, resulting in fuel exhaustion.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the incident was fuel exhaustion.