# NTSB WPR12WA446: Hughes 369D, Lake Sumner, New Zealand, New Zealand, May 21, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Foreign investigation
- Date: May 21, 2012, 02:00 local (02:00 UTC)
- Place: Lake Sumner, New Zealand, New Zealand
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Lead agency: Other
- NTSB case key (mKey): 91262
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12WA446
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91262/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12WA446

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On May 21, 2012, at 0200 universal coordinated time, a Hughes 369D, ZK-HXZ, registered to and operated by Way to Go Heliservices, crashed into Lake Sumner, New Zealand, under unknown circumstances. The helicopter sank in 125 meters of water and was not recovered until May 2015. The pilot, the sole occupant was fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was being operated for agricultural weed spraying under the pertinent civil regulations of the Government of New Zealand. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of New Zealand. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of New Zealand. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Civil Aviation Authority Safety Investigations Unit Level 15, Asteron Centre 55 Featherston St Wellington 6011, New Zealand Tel: (64) 04-560-9400

## Aircraft

- Registration: ZK-HXZ (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D (D)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 1160024D
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Registered owner: Way To Go Heli Services Limited

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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