Cattle Flat - Cattle Flat

On April 27, 1963 at 10:30 AM, Cattle Flat - Cattle Flat experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth, operated by Private New Zealand, with the event recorded near Cattle Flat Otago Regional Council.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. Crashed and destroyed by fire at Freezing Flat, near Minaret Creek, about 3 miles west of Lake Wanaka 27.4.63; Pilot Terry Garnier, injured, survived. Passenger Myrven Ernest Reid, died in crash. The Fox Moth took off on a pleasure flight over the surrounding mountain country. The weather was fine and the visibility was unlimited. The wind was light and the air smooth. When flying in a narrow valley above Minaret Creek at height of 1,500 feet and confined by high hills the pilot found that his aircraft would apparently not maintain height and airspeed, despite cruising and at times full power being demanded from the engine. The pilot said he could not prevent the aircraft from losing height rapidly.The plane crashed on a dry shingle bank in a moderate dive and burst into flames. Despite his burns and shock the pilot made a resolute attempt to rescue his friend from the fire but was unsuccessful. Source: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=63122

Aircraft reference details include registration ZK-AGM, MSN TS-2810, year of manufacture 1947.