Pilot in fatal crash 'broke rules'

Rescuers at the scene of the crash in 2004. File picture / Kenny Rodger

The pilot of a jet which crashed in 2004 while preparing for an air show, killing both occupants, had little experience in aerobatics and breached numerous civil aviation rules, an accident report released today says.

The vintage plane crashed into the Firth of Thames near Kaiaua on March 19, 2004, killing pilot Chris Timms and crewmember Kerry Campbell.

An accident report released by the Civil Aviation Authority today made a number of conclusions on the crash, including that Mr Timms, an Olympic yachting gold medallist iin 1984, had little or no experience performing aerobatic manoeuvres at low level in jet aircraft.

It said the manoeuvres were not authorised by the New Zealand Warbirds Association, and were performed in an area that had the potential to impact on public safety. Both men were members of the Warbirds Association.

The report said they were conducting a flight in preparation for an air display routine when the plane was seen by witnesses to climb and enter cloud.

"A short time later, the aircraft was observed to exit cloud in a steep spiralling dive that continued until the aircraft struck the sea. Both occupants were killed on impact," it said.

The plane crashed about 200m from shore.

The objective of the flight was to test the pilot's suitability to perform an air display in the plane at the Taupo show scheduled for the next day.

After a 48 minute test flight the previous night the pilot, Mr Timms, declared it was the first time he had carried out low level aerobatics in the aircraft, the report said.

His most recent low level flying authorisation stipulated no aerobatics below 1500 feet and low level flypasts not below 200 feet.

The aircraft was airworthy and operating normally until the accident, the report said.

Mr Timms was appropriately licensed, rated and medically fit to fly the plane.

Crewmember Mr Campbell had not been in the aircraft before the fatal flight.

His role was to assess the flight and report to Warbirds that Mr Timms had performed as briefed.

Under Warbirds rules a prerequisite for that role was that it be carried out by a qualified flight instructor. Mr Campbell was not an instructor and was not type rated on the aircraft, but the association considered his background -- including flying Skyhawks for the RNZAF-- made him suited for the exercise.

"Given the speed of events, it is unlikely that the crewmember would have been able to take over and effect a recovery, regardless of flying ability or qualifications," the report said.

The plane was a Potez Air Fouga CM 170 Magister jet. Mr Campbell was chief executive of Auckland's Ardmore Airport.

- NZPA