What happened
On a night-time charter flight operating from Palmerston North to Christchurch, an aircraft was performing an instrument approach to Christchurch Aerodrome under instrument meteorological conditions. During this phase of flight, the aircraft descended beneath the required minimum altitude. Due to the low visibility present at the time, the crew was unable to identify the runway or approach lighting systems.
As the aircraft continued its descent, it struck trees and terrain approximately 1.2 nm before reaching the runway threshold. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. Of the ten people on board, including the pilot and nine passengers, eight fatalities were recorded, consisting of the pilot and seven passengers. The remaining two passengers sustained serious injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident suggest that the primary factor was the pilot becoming distracted from monitoring the aircraft's altitude during a critical portion of the approach. While the possibility of the pilot becoming incapacitated was noted as a factor that could not be entirely dismissed, it was deemed unlikely.