A Transport Accident Investigation Commission report has found that a wind shift at a critical time caused a small plane carrying five passengers to crash on takeoff.
The incident, involving a Piper Cherokee 6, occurred in September last year on a runway at Great Barrier Aerodrome. The plane was bound for Auckland Airport.
In a report released on Thursday, the commission finds that the aeroplane was near its maximum authorised weight upon takeoff.
A wind shift caused a loss of lift and, along with the pilot's premature retraction of flap, prevented the plane from reaching sufficient speed to climb.
It says the pilot lost control and the plane stalled into a swampy area.
The commission recommends that when wind or other conditions permit, pilots should use the runway that carries the least risk by providing a departure path clear of obstacles such as rising terrain or trees.
No one was seriously hurt in the accident.
