No fatalities

Aircraft crash near Tarawera volcano during spraying operation (ZK-BIC)

Tarawera, New ZealandFlight

On November 4, 1964, a Fletcher FU-24 (registration ZK-BIC) operated by Private New Zealand was involved in an aviation accident near Tarawera, New Zealand in flight. No fatalities were reported. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed in the area of the Tarawera volcano while performing a spraying mission, resulting in the destruction of the plane and one injury.

What happened

During the execution of a scheduled spraying mission, an aircraft went down in the vicinity of the Tarawera volcano. The incident occurred while the aircraft was actively engaged in its operational tasks. Upon impact, the aircraft was completely destroyed.

Following the crash, it was confirmed that the pilot sustained one injury. There are currently no further details regarding the specific flight phase or the exact moment of the accident beyond the fact that it occurred during the mission.

Findings

The precise reasons for the crash remain unknown, as the event took place under unknown circumstances. Investigations into the mechanical state of the aircraft or environmental factors at the time of the descent have not been detailed in the available reports.