No fatalities

1969-04-14: De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (ZK-BFN) — Fieldair — Gisborne, New Zealand

Gisborne, New ZealandTakeoff (climb)

On April 14, 1969, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration ZK-BFN) operated by Fieldair was involved in an aviation accident near Gisborne, New Zealand during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The improper installation of the aileron control cables led to the loss of aircraft control. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781237684Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed near the runway during a post-repair test flight, resulting in two serious injuries and total hull loss.

What happened

During a local flight intended to test an aircraft that had recently undergone reconstruction following a previous mishap, a loss of control occurred. Shortly after departing from the runway, the aircraft became unstable and descended into the ground in the vicinity of the airfield.

The accident resulted in two serious injuries among the occupants. The impact caused the total destruction of the airframe.

Findings

Investigation into the crash revealed that the primary factor was a mechanical failure related to the flight controls. Specifically, it was discovered that the aileron control cables had been incorrectly installed during the rebuilding process.

Probable cause

The improper installation of the aileron control cables led to the loss of aircraft control.