New skydive rules after Fox Glacier crash

Police at the scene of a fatal crash. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The Civil Aviation Authority has told skydive operators using Fletcher FU24 aircraft to limit the number of people in the main cabin to six, as it investigates the crash which killed nine people at Fox Glacier on the west coast of the South Island.

However, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) says the directive, aimed at keeping the aircraft within its centre-of-gravity limits, is precautionary and should not be interpreted as confirming the cause of the accident.

All nine people aboard the skydiving plane, a converted cropduster, died when it crashed at the end of the runway at Fox Glacier airport on September 4.

Five of the victims worked for Skydive New Zealand and the rest were overseas tourists.

The CAA has told operators they must limit the number of people allowed in the main cabin to six as its investigation has found it is possible to exceed the FU24`s rear centre-of-gravity limits during parachute drops.

It also requires operators to weigh occupants and all their equipment, rather than just estimating their weights, and consider their positions in the plane when making calculations.

This is to ensure the aircraft remains with its centre-of-gravity limits for the whole flight.

TAIC chief investigator of accidents, Captain Tim Burfoot, said the commission's inquiries since the accident had identified the potential for the aircraft's centre of gravity to be compromised by incorrect loading and it was using legislative provisions to issue an urgent safety recommendation.

"It is too early to confirm whether weight and balance issues contributed to this accident, but there is sufficient concern that a safety issue exists which needs to be acted upon urgently by other operators of this aircraft type," he said.

Mr Burfoot said there was significant international and domestic interest in the accident and TAIC hoped to issue an interim report by the end of October.

It would include any urgent safety recommendations made by that time.

However, the final report, with analysis and findings, could be released up to two years after the accident, he said.

- NZPA