Warbirds Over Wanaka and the Royal New Zealand Airforce have been found liable for a crash at the 2018 event which left a pilot unharmed but his vintage aircraft destroyed. Mr Dovey’s company took seven parties to court: the air force, which had provided the military display director for the show, Warbirds Over Wanaka, and five individual employees. Justice Mallon found that Mr Dovey’s approach when he came in to land was professional and skilful. It also briefed pilots that the centre grass where Mr Dovey landed was available on the morning of the show without qualification, and without an adequate risk assessment of the implications of that. She ordered the repair costs claimed by Mr Dovey’s company, $616,500 plus GST and interest, and reserved the issue of court costs.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 11, 2021 08:15 UTC