Greater Wellington Regional Council

Schedule:

Masterton - Masterton

MSN:

2553

YOM:

1943

Location:

Bideford

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

2898

Circumstances:

Lodestar ZK-BMC was operating several topdressing sorties in the area of Bideford. On the morning of October 20, the plane departed at 05:15 on the first sortie of the day. The operation proceeded normally, each flight taking 17 to 18 minutes to complete. At 06:40 hours it was apparent that a front was approaching from the south. The pilot decided to carry out one more flight and departed Masterton at 07:00. The aircraft struck a hill 1,350 feet (410 m) amsl, 8 feet below the crest in drizzle and poor visibility. Both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident was an error of judgment on the part of the pilot in electing to continue the flight in the face of deteriorating weather conditions, during which time the aircraft struck the top of the hill, while the pilot was attempting to maintain visual flight under instrument conditions.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Devon on Mt Shingle Slip Knob: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1955 at 1011 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

NZ1815

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ohakea - Ohakea

MSN:

04398

YOM:

1953

Location:

Mt Shingle Slip Knob

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training flight and left Ohakea Airbase at 0917LT. Apparently while returning and flying over the Taratua Forest Park in poor weather conditions, the twin engine airplane hit the slope of Mt Shingle Slip Knob at 1011LT. The wreckage was found three days later few meters below the summit and both crew members have been killed. It is believed the aircraft was off track at the time of the accident and the crew was unaware of the presence of the mountain due the lack of visibility.
Crew:
F/Lt Edward Casey,
F/Lt William Trott.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in Paraparaumu: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1954 at 0923 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-AQT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Christchurch - Paraparaumu

MSN:

15948/32696

YOM:

1945

Flight number:

NZA152

Location:

Paraparaumu-Kapiti Coast

Country:

Region:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

12732

Circumstances:

On final approach to Paraparaumu Airport, both engines failed simultaneously. Then captain was able to restart the engine but the aircraft lost speed and height. While trying to climb, the aircraft banked right and hit a house, shearing off 12 feet of the right wing. The airplane passed between two houses and eventually crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed, three children were killed and all other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

Probable cause:

- Either throughout the flight or a substantial portion of it both engines were drawing fuel from the starboard main tank,
- The selector valves or valve were moved after the engines cut out, and the valves, when found and checked later, indicated a final setting of each engine to its respective port and starboard main tank,
- The total fuel usage recorded for sixty hours of service by the engines of this aircraft prior to this flight establish that the fuel was used normally by each engine from each tank and there was no malfunctioning of the selector equipment,
- The failure of the engines of this aircraft was due to exhaustion of fuel in the starboard main tank, to which both engines had been selected,
- Having regard to the position and condition of the aircraft at the time of engine failure the subsequent accident to the aircraft was inevitable.

Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-1 Catalina off Wellington

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NZ4051

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

60958

YOM:

1944

Location:

Wellington

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Sank during takeoff into the Evans Bay in Wellington when seawater flooded aircraft. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar in Waikanae: 15 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1949 at 0940 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-60 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-AKX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Whenuapai – Paraparaumu

MSN:

2382

YOM:

1943

Location:

Waikanae

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The descent to Paraparaumu was started in marginal weather conditions. On approach, at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft christened 'Keruru' hit tree tops and crashed on the wooded slope of a mountain located in Waikanae, about 11 km from the airport. The wreckage was reached by rescuers two hours later. The aircraft was destroyed and all 15 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by a faulty navigation on part of the crew who continued the approach at an insufficient altitude. Low visibility due to low clouds was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.12 in Paraparaumu

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

PH599

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Location:

Paraparaumu-Kapiti Coast

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on landing. No casualties.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II on Mt Mitre: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

NZ1237

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ohakea - Ohakea

MSN:

2657

YOM:

1940

Location:

Mt Mitre (Pukeamoamo)

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Ohakea Airfield on a cross-country exercise. While cruising in clouds, it impacted the slope of Mt Mitre (Pukeamoamo) located about 79 km northeast of Wellington. The wreckage was found in May 1942. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
LAC James Edgar Norman Corin,
LAC Ronald Alfred Walter Abrahams.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I near Upper Hutt: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

NZ1245

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ohakea - Ohakea

MSN:

2670

YOM:

1940

Location:

Upper Hutt

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training mission on behalf of the 3rd Army Training Unit and departed Ohakea AFB at 1045LT. While cruising in low visibility due to poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain located between Upper Hutt and Waikanae, northeast of Wellington. As the crew failed to announce their position at the reporting point at 1315LT, SAR operations were initiated, but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was found by a hunter on April 10, 1943.
Crew (3rd SFTS):
LAC Charles William Baker,
LAC Winston Stanley Cannel.
Source: http://www.parawaitc.org.nz/Other/Oxford1245.pdf

Probable cause:

The Court concluded its inquiry with the following findings:
1) From the evidence available, the Court can only assume that the loss of Oxford NZ1245 is attributable mainly to the bad weather conditions prevailing in part of the route to be flown.
2) The Court is of the opinion that the aircraft and equipment was in serviceable condition prior to the exercise.
3) The weather conditions immediately prior to setting out on the exercise were such that the Flight Commander was justified in authorizing the flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth in Masterton

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1939

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-ABE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Masterton - Masterton

MSN:

1448

YOM:

1930

Location:

Masterton

Country:

Region: