Canterbury Regional Council

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a local training flight at Wigram AFB. On final approach, an engine caught fire. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that stalled and crashed short of runway. While the pilot was uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

On touchdown at Christchurch Airport, the rain main gear collapsed. The twin engine airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in a grassy area. All three occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was not repaired. Built in 1937, the airplane christened 'Spirit of Tasman Bay' was the last Lockheed 10 Electra in service in New Zealand.

For unknown reason, the airplane landed hard and was considered as damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries among the crew. The accident occurred by night.

The flight was a routine cargo flight from Woodbourne to Timaru via Paraparaumu. After take-off the aircraft was climbed to 2 500 ft on instruments and a period of asymmetric instrument flying followed during which the starboard pro- peller was feathered and rate half turns were made in both directions. The starboard propeller was unfeathered and when the minimum operating temperatures had been reached, normal power was applied. Two minutes later a sudden and severe vibration was felt throughout the aircraft. Feathering of the port engine was delayed until nearer the North Island coastline, and no further vibration was felt on the remainder of the flight to Paraparaumu. The aircraft was then loaded and one crew member was off-loaded prior to take-off on the second segment of the flight to Timaru. At 1127 hours the flight called Harewood Tower giving its position as 6 miles north of the Wairnakariri River mouth at 3 000 ft contact. It was subsequently cleared to maintain 3 000 ft to the Harewood Range Station. It then advised that it would descend VFR from the Range Station and proceed VFR to Timaru and was subsequently cleared for this procedure by Harewood Tower. At 1133 hours, at an approximate height of 2 000 ft, the aircraft was seen to suffer structural failure in the air. The starboard outer wing folded upwards and backwards and then separated. The remainder of the aircraft performed a series of violent manoeuvres while diving towards the ground at a mean angle of 35°' shedding a number of major components before finally striking the ground 1 000 yards beyond the point of wing separation. The 2 crew and 2 passengers aboard were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed.

Went out of control and crashed upside down in a field located in Wairarapa, in the suburb of Christchurch. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was taking part to the celebrations of the London - Christchurch Rallye anniversary. Two RNZAF Devon's registered NZ1810 and NZ1811 were engaged in a demonstration at Wigram Airbase. While approaching the airfield from the south at an altitude of 1,200 feet, both aircraft collided with their wings (it appears that the right wing of NZ1810 touched the left wing of NZ1811). Out of control, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed in a paddock located about 700 meters from the airbase and were totally destroyed. All seven crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew on board NZ1810:
F/Lt Edwin Pattison Booth Ebbett, pilot,
A1c Brian James Keogh,
A1c Eric Melrose.
Crew on board NZ1811:
S/L Sholto Russell Duncan, pilot,
A1c William Henry Sharman,
A2c Russell Woodcock,
Lt Erling William Ziesler.

The crew was taking part to the celebrations of the London - Christchurch Rallye anniversary. Two RNZAF Devon's registered NZ1810 and NZ1811 were engaged in a demonstration at Wigram Airbase. While approaching the airfield from the south at an altitude of 1,200 feet, both aircraft collided with their wings (it appears that the right wing of NZ1810 touched the left wing of NZ1811). Out of control, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed in a paddock located about 700 meters from the airbase and were totally destroyed. All seven crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew on board NZ1810:
F/Lt Edwin Pattison Booth Ebbett, pilot,
A1c Brian James Keogh,
A1c Eric Melrose.
Crew on board NZ1811:
S/L Sholto Russell Duncan, pilot,
A1c William Henry Sharman,
A2c Russell Woodcock,
Lt Erling William Ziesler.

The pilot, sole on board, was forced to make an emergency landing in a field located in Willowbridge, southeast of Waimate. He was unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

The pilot was performing a solo training flight in the region of Wigram AFB. While circling around the airbase, the twin engine aircraft collided with another RNZAF Oxford registered NZ286 and carrying one pilot as well. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 3 km southeast of the airfield. Both pilots on both aircraft were killed. It appears that NZ1284 lost a part of its wing in the collision and crashed about a mile south of the other aircraft.
Crew:
LAC Keith Hodge, pilot.

The pilot was performing a solo training flight in the region of Wigram AFB. While circling around the airbase, the twin engine aircraft collided with another RNZAF Oxford registered NZ1284 and carrying one pilot as well. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 3 km southeast of the airfield. Both pilots on both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Robert Pettitt, pilot.