What happened
During a flight near Wanganui, an aircraft experienced a double engine failure while in the air. This mechanical failure led to the plane descending into the sea at the mouth of the Whangaehu River, located south of Wanganui.
Following the impact, search efforts identified various pieces of wreckage drifting on the surface of the water. Despite the recovery of debris, the pilot remained missing and was never recovered from the site.
Findings
Official investigations into the accident concluded that the primary factor was a simultaneous failure of both engines during the flight phase. The specific underlying reason for this dual engine malfunction remains undetermined.