What happened
During a local agricultural sowing mission in the area of Mourea, located north of Rotorua, an aircraft was operating at a low altitude. While the pilot was navigating the region, the plane collided with a tree measuring approximately 27.5 meters in height. The impact caused the left wing of the aircraft to be severed from the fuselage.
Following the collision, the aircraft lost stability and entered an uncontrolled descent. It struck the ground roughly 100 meters from the initial point of impact, where it caught fire. There was one fatality involving the pilot, who was the only person on board at the time of the accident. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the crash.
Findings
Official investigations into the accident confirmed that the aircraft had been subject to proper maintenance protocols and no mechanical malfunctions were identified as a factor in the crash. The investigation concluded that the primary reason for the collision was the pilot's inability to spot the obstacle because the flight path was oriented directly toward the sun.