Pac 750XL - NO SERIES accident near Taupo, New Zealand, Nz, January 7, 2015
On January 7, 2015, a Pac 750XL - NO SERIES, registered ZKSDT, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Taupo, New Zealand. No one was hurt; 14 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 2015
- Place
- Taupo, New Zealand, New Zealand · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 14 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Pac 750XL - NO SERIES NO SERIES
- Registration
- ZKSDT · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On 7 January 2015, a Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL airplane, registration No. ZK-SDT, while performing commercial skydiving operations, experienced an engine failure while climbing through approximately 3000 feet, after take-off from Taupo Aerodrome in the central North Island, New Zealand. It was reported that sparks and flames were emitted from the exhaust and cowls and then shortly afterwards the engine stopped running. The skydive passengers departed the aircraft at altitude and all arrived safely on the ground. The pilot also safely departed the aircraft before it crashed into a lake. The aircraft engine was subsequently recovered and sent to Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Centre for investigation in the presence of a Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of New Zealand. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: NEW ZEALAND The Chief Executive Officer Transport Accident Investigation Commission 11 Cigna House 40 Mercer Street P.O. Box 10-323 Wellington 6143 New Zealand Tel.: (64) 4-473-0199 (24 hours) (64) 4-473-3112 E-mail: inquiries@taic.org.nz Fax: (64) 4-499-1510 AFTN: NZHOYAYX Cable: CIVAIR NZ Website: http://www.taic.org.nz This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information obtained for, or released by the Government of New Zealand.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 13 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.