What happened
During the early morning hours of 20 July 2001, a Partenavia P68B, registration ZK-DMA, was flying toward Whangarei at approximately 5000 feet. While passing the North Shore Aerodrome in darkness, the aircraft experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines.
In response to the engine failure, the pilot attempted an emergency landing on runway 21 at North Shore Aerodrome. Although the aircraft reached the runway, it failed to stop within the paved area, overrunning the end of the strip. The aircraft proceeded through a perimeter fence, crossed a nearby road, and eventually came to a halt after impacting a second fence. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained injuries to the ankle and face.
Findings
Investigation into the incident suggests that the meteorological environment was prone to engine intake icing. It is believed that ice, hail, or sleet likely obstructed the air intakes of the engines. A significant contributing factor was that the pilot likely failed to recognize icing as the underlying issue, which led to the omission of using alternate engine intake air. Had this procedure been implemented, engine power could have been restored.