What happened
During an aerial photography mission departing from Wellington, a twin-engine aircraft struck the side of Mt Soho. The incident occurred approximately 9 km north of Arrowtown in the Otago region. While navigating the area, the pilot encountered heavy whiteout conditions which led to a loss of spatial orientation.
Following the impact with the mountain slope, all five occupants on board were successfully rescued from the wreckage. Although there were no fatalities, the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the encounter with whiteout conditions during the flight.
- These weather conditions caused the pilot to lose orientation while flying near the terrain.