Accident Events
A pilot was completing a top dressing flight in the region of Motueka. While flying at low height, the aircraft's left wing struck a pine tree. Following the collision, the aircraft lost height and subsequently crashed on the northern face of a ridge. The pilot, who was the sole occupant on board, was killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the lone pine tree struck by the aircraft was probably obscured due to the position of the sun and shadow, making it difficult for the pilot to detect. The collision caused damage to the aileron control system, which prevented the pilot from turning away from the ridge he had been sowing. Due to the resulting impaired controllability, the pilot was unable to recover from a steep left-banked turn. The aircraft stalled and collided heavily with the face of the ridge in a nose-down attitude.