25 years ago today

MikeD · November 29th, 2004, 02:15

On 28 November 1979, 257 people were killed when an Air New Zealand DC-10 crashed in bad weather on Mount Erebus in Antarctica.

Interesting read on this accident. Company had changed FMS load out and not informed the crew. NZ media tried to blame US Navy ATC. Regardless, crew had cancelled IFR and was trying to give the passengers a view of Erebus in some nasty weather.

Lesson learned? INS, or whatever they had wasn't set right. Still, Erebus is a big rock and hasn't moved it's position in years. If you can't see it, don't go below the altitude where it's at.

Tragic accident with many lessons learned.

I_Money · November 29th, 2004, 02:23

Yeah that was tragic - is ANZ still flying over the Artic - I know QF is. I presume the wreckage is still there.

MikeD · November 29th, 2004, 02:28

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah that was tragic - is ANZ still flying over the Artic - I know QF is. I presume the wreckage is still there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Much of the wreckage is still there, and pieces still emerge from the ice from time to time as shifting occurs. Air NZ never again flew to the antarctic, and a niche in the tourism industry for NZ came to a halt. QF still does fly to the antarctic.

BlazingRicker · November 29th, 2004, 15:47

My uncle died in that crash. He worked for ANZ at the time. Some others who worked at ANZ at the time said the pilots had been drinking before the flight but who knows, it's all speculation. He said she said BS.

MikeD · November 29th, 2004, 18:00

[ QUOTE ]
My uncle died in that crash. He worked for ANZ at the time. Some others who worked at ANZ at the time said the pilots had been drinking before the flight but who knows, it's all speculation. He said she said BS.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sorry for the loss of your uncle. This accident was indeed tragic. Hadn't heard about the drinking thing. The major part of the accident was that the nav system had been loaded with a different route and the crew apparently wasn't briefed on this. That, and cancelling IFR in questionable conditions in order to get a view of Erebus.

Tragic.

BlazingRicker · November 29th, 2004, 18:30

The drinking thing is simply speculation like I said. I heard about the nav system being loaded differently. They have the black box transcripts and it seems like the captain and copilot were arguing. The captain wanted to go low and the copilot disagreed. In my opinion, there is no way of telling what really happens in a plane crash. There are too many things that can go wrong and unless you're there, it's hard to judge.

November 29th, 2004, 02:15	#1
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	25 years ago today On 28 November 1979, 257 people were killed when an Air New Zealand DC-10 crashed in bad weather on Mount Erebus in Antarctica. Interesting read on this accident. Company had changed FMS load out and not informed the crew. NZ media tried to blame US Navy ATC. Regardless, crew had cancelled IFR and was trying to give the passengers a view of Erebus in some nasty weather. Lesson learned? INS, or whatever they had wasn't set right. Still, Erebus is a big rock and hasn't moved it's position in years. If you can't see it, don't go below the altitude where it's at. Tragic accident with many lessons learned.

November 29th, 2004, 02:23	#2
I_Money Moderator Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Socal Posts: 5,645	Re: 25 years ago today Yeah that was tragic - is ANZ still flying over the Artic - I know QF is. I presume the wreckage is still there.

November 29th, 2004, 02:28	#3
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Re: 25 years ago today [ QUOTE ] Yeah that was tragic - is ANZ still flying over the Artic - I know QF is. I presume the wreckage is still there. [/ QUOTE ] Much of the wreckage is still there, and pieces still emerge from the ice from time to time as shifting occurs. Air NZ never again flew to the antarctic, and a niche in the tourism industry for NZ came to a halt. QF still does fly to the antarctic.

November 29th, 2004, 15:47	#4
BlazingRicker Newbie Join Date: May 2004 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 19	Re: 25 years ago today My uncle died in that crash. He worked for ANZ at the time. Some others who worked at ANZ at the time said the pilots had been drinking before the flight but who knows, it's all speculation. He said she said BS.

November 29th, 2004, 18:00	#5
MikeD Administrator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark Posts: 6,897	Re: 25 years ago today [ QUOTE ] My uncle died in that crash. He worked for ANZ at the time. Some others who worked at ANZ at the time said the pilots had been drinking before the flight but who knows, it's all speculation. He said she said BS. [/ QUOTE ] I'm sorry for the loss of your uncle. This accident was indeed tragic. Hadn't heard about the drinking thing. The major part of the accident was that the nav system had been loaded with a different route and the crew apparently wasn't briefed on this. That, and cancelling IFR in questionable conditions in order to get a view of Erebus. Tragic.

November 29th, 2004, 18:30	#6
BlazingRicker Newbie Join Date: May 2004 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 19	Re: 25 years ago today The drinking thing is simply speculation like I said. I heard about the nav system being loaded differently. They have the black box transcripts and it seems like the captain and copilot were arguing. The captain wanted to go low and the copilot disagreed. In my opinion, there is no way of telling what really happens in a plane crash. There are too many things that can go wrong and unless you're there, it's hard to judge.

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