NZ1277

The pilot was performing a night solo training exercise. While cruising south of Palmerston North, he did not realize he was flying too low due to poor visibility. The twin engine aircraft hit a hill and crashed. The pilot was killed. Crew: P/O Thomas Kirk, pilot.

Flight / Schedule

NZ1277

Registration

NZ1277

MSN

588

Date

November 14, 1940 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Training

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Tokomaru Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons Regional Council)

Region

Oceania • New Zealand

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On November 14, 1940 at 12:00 AM, NZ1277 experienced a crash involving Airspeed AS.10 Oxford, operated by Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF, with the event recorded near Tokomaru Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons Regional Council).

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a mountains 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 listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot was performing a night solo training exercise. While cruising south of Palmerston North, he did not realize he was flying too low due to poor visibility. The twin engine aircraft hit a hill and crashed. The pilot was killed. Crew: P/O Thomas Kirk, pilot.

Aircraft reference details include registration NZ1277, MSN 588.

Fatalities

Total

1

Crew

1

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The pilot was performing a night solo training exercise. While cruising south of Palmerston North, he did not realize he was flying too low due to poor visibility. The twin engine aircraft hit a hill and crashed. The pilot was killed. Crew: P/O Thomas Kirk, pilot.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 1

Operational Details

Flight Type

Training

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

Oceania • New Zealand

Aircraft Details

Registration

NZ1277

MSN

588

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