What happened
During a departure from the Fox Glacier aerodrome, an aircraft entered a stall and crashed into a field adjacent to the airfield. The incident occurred while the plane was in its climbing phase. The impact resulted in a fire, and all nine fatalities—consisting of the pilot and eight skydivers—were recorded.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the recent owner and operator of the aircraft had failed to perform any weight and balance assessments since the plane entered service. Consequently, the aircraft was frequently operated beyond its established loading parameters when transporting a full load of eight passengers.
On the day of the accident, the center of gravity was positioned significantly behind the aft limit. This imbalance caused the aircraft to become airborne at a speed insufficient for maintaining control. The pilot attempted to manage the flight, but the plane continued to pitch upward and roll to the left, eventually striking the ground in a nearly vertical descent.