Brian & HD, it was a Navajo from memory. Trying to sneak up the King River to get into Queenstown back in the days when there was a low-capacity RPT service there.
HD, sarcasm is not called for. This particular crash was caused by a non-IFR pilot flying into IMC and not having an escape route. An IFR flight would have been climbing through the muck and, yes, there is a way of getting to LSALT out of Lady Barren.
You may well be right about an Airvan's capacity to survive a bingle but preferably, the object of the exercise is to avoid putting yourself in the situation where it is put to the test.