Naike - Naike

On January 19, 1963 at 12:20 PM, Naike - Naike experienced a crash involving Fletcher FU-24, operated by James Aviation, with the event recorded near Naike Waikato Regional Council.

The flight was categorized as spraying (agricultural) and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The deceased pilot was engaged in sowing operations throughout the morning. On his last run the flow of superphosphate was seen to cease at the appropriate point, but a couple of seconds later the remainder of the load was jettisoned. Almost immediately the aircraft entered a left-hand turn, striking the tops of some sapling pine trees. The plane then lost height, passed through a fence, and after crossing a narrow gully collided with a steep slope. The Fletcher caught fire and the pilot lost his life. The flying weather was good with a light westerly wind which increased to 10-15 mph not long before the accident, and with a change to a northerly direction. The pilot of another aircraft some 5 miles away reported the onset of turbulence in his area from about midday. The pilot, Clement Alan O'Neil, 23, was killed in this aerial topdressing accident. Source: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=63150

Aircraft reference details include registration ZK-BOK, MSN 63, year of manufacture 1959.