1 fatality

1995-11-01: Fletcher FU-24 (ZK-EUG) — Fieldair — Rongoio Station, New Zealand

Rongoio Station, New ZealandFlight

On November 1, 1995, a Fletcher FU-24 (registration ZK-EUG) operated by Fieldair was involved in an aviation accident near Rongoio Station, New Zealand in flight. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot suffered an acute myocardial infarction while in flight; the effects of the myocardial infarction probably led initially to loss of situational awareness and loss of control of the aircraft; the pilot may have realised at a late stage that a… 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 1781207586Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot conducting a spraying mission near Rongoio Station, north of Wairoa, lost control of the aircraft, which crashed and caught fire. The pilot was the sole occupant and died. Investigation attributed the accident to an acute myocardial infarction.

Accident Details

A pilot was conducting a spraying mission in the vicinity of Rongoio Station, approximately 18 nautical miles north of Wairoa. During the flight, control of the aircraft was lost, and the aircraft subsequently crashed. Upon impact, the aircraft burst into flames.

The pilot was the sole occupant on board and was killed in the accident.

Investigation Findings

The investigation into the accident reported that the pilot suffered an acute myocardial infarction while in flight. The effects of this medical event likely led initially to a loss of situational awareness and subsequent loss of control of the aircraft. It is possible that the pilot realised at a late stage that a collision with the ground was imminent, but was unable to recover from the situation in time to avoid it.

No other causal factors were identified. The aircraft type, registration, and operator were not specified in the available information.

Probable cause

The pilot suffered an acute myocardial infarction while in flight; the effects of the myocardial infarction probably led initially to loss of situational awareness and loss of control of the aircraft; the pilot may have realised at a late stage that a collision with the ground was imminent, but was unable to recover from the situation in time to avoid it.