What happened
During a local training exercise conducted at Whenuapai Airport, the crew was performing various maneuvers before initiating a new landing approach. As the aircraft reached the short final phase of the flight, it experienced a sudden loss of altitude and made contact with the runway surface while traveling at 140 knots.
The force of the impact caused the left main landing gear to be severed from the airframe. This structural failure led to a loss of directional control, causing the plane to veer toward the left side of the runway. As the aircraft moved onto soft terrain, the left wing was ripped from the fuselage. The subsequent impact triggered a fire that consumed the wreckage.
Despite the severity of the crash, all six occupants managed to evacuate the vessel without injury. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the incident suggest that the loss of control occurred during the transition between the last segment and the flare. This instability was attributed to an incorrect approach configuration.