Date & Time:
Oct 3, 1944 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4544
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
5744
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route, while flying in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the base of Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki) located south of New Plymouth. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
F/O Jack Martin,
F/Sgt Arnold Hill,
Sgt Harold Day,
Sgt James McKay,
Sgt Frank Webb.
Crew (1st OTU):
F/O Jack Martin,
F/Sgt Arnold Hill,
Sgt Harold Day,
Sgt James McKay,
Sgt Frank Webb.
Probable cause:
According to the investigations, the aircraft was off course at the time of the accident, most probably due to a navigation error caused by an insufficient visibility.
