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Agricultural Aircraft Crash in New Zealand (ZK-BOB)

Orakei Korako, New ZealandFlight

On September 20, 1961, a Fletcher FU-24 (registration ZK-BOB) operated by James Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Orakei Korako, New Zealand in flight. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The investigators concluded that there was evidence to suggest that the aileron controls were jammed through collision with some object while the aircraft was in flight and that jamming resulted in a steep left turn from which a recovery could not be made. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A trainee agricultural pilot crashed a ZK-BOB aircraft in New Zealand after a suspected mid-air collision with an obstruction, resulting in a fatal steep left turn.

Background and Pilot Experience The pilot involved in the accident was a former member of the Royal Canadian Air Force with 1,260 hours of flight experience in single and multi-engined aircraft. He had relocated to New Zealand to work as an agricultural pilot and was employed by James Aviation as a trainee topdressing pilot. At the time of the accident, he had completed 22 hours of supervised productive flying and had logged a total of 31 hours in the FU24 aircraft type. On the day of the incident, he took over the aircraft, registered ZK-BOB, from another trainee at 1315. He completed three satisfactory sorties before departing on a fourth flight.

Probable cause

The investigators concluded that there was evidence to suggest that the aileron controls were jammed through collision with some object while the aircraft was in flight and that jamming resulted in a steep left turn from which a recovery could not be made.

Related events

Same operator

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