No fatalities

Topdressing Aircraft Collision with Low Hill During Takeoff (ZK-DZC)

Kaihoka, New ZealandTakeoff (climb)

On April 26, 2008, a Fletcher FU-24 (registration ZK-DZC) operated by Rowley Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Kaihoka, New Zealand during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A possible tailwind component, and the aircraft may have been overloaded for the conditions. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A topdressing aircraft struck a low hill during takeoff, resulting in the pilot losing control. The pilot was seriously injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.

Incident Overview During takeoff, a topdressing aircraft collided with a low hill. The pilot lost control of the aircraft shortly after the impact. The subsequent crash resulted in serious injuries to the pilot and the destruction of the aircraft. ## Contributing Factors The pilot reported a possible tailwind component as a contributing factor. Additionally, the aircraft may have been overloaded for the prevailing conditions at the time of the incident. No specific aircraft type, registration, date, operator, or location was provided in the source material. ## Official Findings The official probable cause identified the possible tailwind component and the potential overload of the aircraft for the conditions as the primary factors in the accident.