What happened
Following departure from Picton-Koromiko Airport, the aircraft experienced a loss of power during its initial climb. In response to the power loss, the pilot attempted to perform a return maneuver by entering a downwind circuit.
During this procedure, the engine suffered a total failure. This resulted in an aerodynamic stall, causing the aircraft to impact a field. The impact was followed by a post-crash fire. There were seven fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the primary factor was an engine failure occurring during the flight sequence.