Ongoing investigation at Whanganui Airport into cause of plane’s forced landing

An instructor and student were on board the NZIPCA aircraft. Photo / Bevan Conley

Investigations are continuing into what caused a wheel to fall off a light aircraft at Whanganui Airport.

A Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson said they had been notified of last Friday’s incident.

“We are working with the operator to determine the cause(s), so mitigating factors can be considered.”

New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy (NZICPA) chief executive Gerard Glanville said there were a few parties involved with the investigation, such as the engineering company and the CAA.

He said they were unable to give a timeline at this stage and it was an “ongoing investigation”.

On Friday, an unforeseen mechanical failure shortly after take-off led to the “departure of the nose wheel from the airframe”, he said.

After three hours in the air, instructor Lexi Trotter “executed a flawless emergency landing” about 3.30pm, with the student pilot shutting down the engine - preserving the propeller and engine from potential damage and fire hazards.

The incident occurred while Trotter was teaching a student.

A Whanganui Airport Unicom staff member, an ex-student of NZICPA, spotted the missing nose wheel and alerted the pilot and academy.

Fire crews and other emergency services also attended the forced landing.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.