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Emergency landing of single-engine aircraft during crop spraying operation (ZK-CFU)

Tikokino, New ZealandFlight

On May 16, 1978, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration ZK-CFU) operated by Fieldair was involved in an aviation accident near Tikokino, New Zealand in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The exact cause of the emergency landing and subsequent hard impact remains unknown. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A single-engine airplane was forced to perform an emergency landing during a crop spraying mission, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft.

What happened

During the course of a scheduled crop spraying mission, the pilot of a single-engine airplane encountered an unspecified issue that necessitated an immediate emergency landing. As the pilot attempted to bring the aircraft down, the plane struck the ground with significant force.

Following the hard impact, the aircraft became uncontrollable and eventually came to a complete stop at the site of the incident. The flight was being conducted as part of agricultural spraying operations when the sequence of events unfolded.

Findings

  • There were no fatalities and no injuries reported following the event.
  • The pilot, who was the only person on board the aircraft at the time, managed to exit the wreckage without harm.
  • The impact resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair.
  • The specific reason for the emergency landing remains undetermined as no clear cause was identified during the initial report.

Probable cause

The exact cause of the emergency landing and subsequent hard impact remains unknown.

Related events

Same operator

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