The dashed line at left shows the flight path the crew probably thought they were on. Fourteen months before the Erebus disaster, when Air New Zealand's routes were being computerised, a typing error altered one of the navigational coordinates for the Antarctic flights. The navigation section checked the coordinates on a computer printout of what they believed was the current flight plan, but was actually the original that had not been used for 14 months. NZ Erebus Crash Anniversary Today Discussions about factual events happening in the airline and general aviation industries. Click on the image to add a tag or press ESC to cancel. Comments will be reviewed prior to posting. But what they faced on Mt Erebus was the carnage of what was then the world’s fourth-biggest air crash. The Board's decision means that the Erebus families will finally have a memorial to remember those who lost their lives on Mt Erebus in 1979. The acceptance of the report vindicated the flight crew of the blame attributed to them twenty years earlier. On 17 November, the Waitematā Local Board voted in favour of granting land owner approval to the $3.5 million national Erebus memorial in Dove-Myer Robinson Park in the Auckland suburb of Parnell. The most obvious and significant consequence is the death of all 257 crew and passengers on board the aircraft. Air New Zealand Flight 901 was a one-day sightseeing flyover of Antarctica. Warning: the content of this video may be upsetting to some people. Mt Erebus disaster – where air crash recovery learnt its grisly trade. First film of the Erebus disaster Television One Network News presents the first film from the site of the Erebus disaster in Antarctica. After 14 months, the error was finally identified and was tragically 'corrected' the night before the accident. Its a good name for the volcano. At the time, it was the fourth worst accident in aviation history. For a period of 14 months, flights were programmed to safely follow a track down McMurdo Sound away from Ross Island and Mt Erebus. Can you tell us more about the information on this page? Images and media OPINION: Forty years ago today, New Zealand suffered its worst-ever disaster when an Air New Zealand sightseeing flight crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica, killing all 257 people on board. The accident is referred to the Mt. Posted by: StagsRoar. Simpson, who had attended the same route qualification briefing as the crew of Flight TE901, noted that there was a considerable distance between the destination point he had programmed from the flight plan (west of the Dailey Islands) and the actual position of the McMurdo Tactical Air Navigation system and McMurdo Station (the destination he had been briefed on). The Mount Erebus stratovolcano rises 3794 meters (12,447 feet) above sea level. It notes that body recovery has been disrupted by bad weather, and the difficulties in getting personnel and supplies to the area. Erebus was made of darkness and shadow, and he filled the corners of the world with his darkness. OPINION: The most telling part of the 40th anniversary commemorations for the Erebus disaster was an aside from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after she had apologised on behalf of the government. “As the crash site on Mt Erebus is difficult to get to, there will be a remembrance ceremony at the Scott Base flagpole. Mysterious markings found in Antarctica snow are linked in the programme to the Mt Erebus disaster, where all 257 people on board the sightseeing Air New Zealand Flight 901 - … TE901 crashed head-on into the gentle slopes of Mount Erebus It remains New Zealand's worst peacetime disaster. Thomson, Jan. 1980) and where captain may have believed he was, 1980. Mount Erebus (/ ˈ ɛr ɪ b ə s /) is an active volcano, the second-highest in Antarctica (after Mount Sidley) and the southernmost active volcano on Earth.It is the sixth-highest ultra mountain on the continent. On November 28th 1979 an Air New Zealand sightseeing flight crashed into the side of Mt Erebus killing everyone on board. June 24 - NZALPA launches the Erebus.co.nz website. The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly. Wreckage largely in place today. Unfortunately, the DC-10 crashed into the side of Mount Erebus and kill the 257 people on board, making the flight the deadliest incident in the history of New Zealand. Reference. This site is the most comprehensive source of information on the 1979 Erebus disaster. At 11:50pm, the wreckage of the aircraft was found. The current CEO, Rob Fyfe, owned up to Air New Zealand's mistake at the time. Just before 1:00am (New Zealand time) the crew of a United States Navy plane found some unidentified wreckage on the side of Mount Erebus. Quick Description: On November 28, 1979, at 12:49pm local time, flight TE901 collided with Mount Erebus, Antarctica, about 1500ft up on it's North Eastern face killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew members. But he was also the subject of controversy when his work became part of an investigation into the 1979 Mt. The dashed line at left shows the flight path the crew probably thought they were on. At 12:49pm (NZT) on the afternoon of November 28 1979, Air New Zealand flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica. With its serrated edges, the 11-kilometer-long ice tongue is the leading edge of a glacier that starts on the volcano’s flanks. The Mt Erebus disaster had a huge impact on New Zealand and is still greatly significant today. Interactive online tool to view volcano webcams and live seismic recordings side-by-side online. Despite controversy into the crash’s cause, the recovery work is considered a success, as the vast majority of the victims—213 of 257 or 82.9%– were identified and their remains reclaimed. The film was shot by a passenger aboard Air New Zealand flight TE901, not long before the aircraft crashed into Mount Erebus. Login, This website is hosted and maintained by the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association, Marketing Antarctica - Expert Commentators, U.S Policy Regarding Aviation in Antarctica, 1968, Studying the Effects of the Recovery Operation, Captain Vette Receives an IFALPA Presidential, Erebus memorial to be built in Dove-Myer Robinson Park in Parnell, Auckland, A sense of 'relief' from Erebus families after Jacinda Ardern's heartfelt apology, New Zealand government apologizes for Antarctica deadliest crash. There were no survivors of the crash. Not all comments posted. The adjustment was made in the airline's ground computer at 1.40 a.m. on 28 November 1979. A mistake was made. the Chippindale report was released. MT EREBUS CRASH. Their examination inevitably revealed no major discrepancy, but they did note that a minor adjustment had been made to the position of McMurdo Station and decided to change the coordinates accordingly. Just before 1pm on November 28, 1979, Air New Zealand flight TE901 slammed into the lower slopes of Mount Erebus while on a sightseeing flight to Antarctica. On 28 November 1979; a DC-10-30 departed Auckland, NZ for an overflight sightseeing trip to Antartica, returning the same day. Perhaps you have a related experience you would like to share? 20 hours after the crash, helicopter search parties were able to land at the site and confirm that the wreckage was the remains of Flight 901. On his return Simpson told Captain Johnson of the airline's flight operations section, who asked the navigation section to investigate. The crash site and remains could be seen on Google Earth at: 1977/78 - 166.48 east - seven flights were routed over Mt Erebus to McMurdo Station, 1978/79 - 164.48 east - seven flights over sea ice, en route to the west of the Dailey Islands, 28 November 1979 - 166.58 east - Flight TE901 was routed over Mt Erebus to McMurdo Station. Commercial re-use may be allowed on request. Erebus crash site map. PM sorry for state-owned Air New Zealand’s efforts to blame pilots for 1979 crash into Antarctica’s Mt Erebus Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin Wed … The final moments aboard Air New Zealand flight TE901 before it crashed into Mount Erebus. Image: Archives New Zealand, Te Rua Mahara o te Kawanatanga, Christchurch Regional Office Reference: CAHU CH282/Box12/1 Map of Ross Island area showing flight path of aircraft (as reconstructed by R.B. Air New Zealand - Mt Erebus. Air New Zealand’s one-day sightseeing flights to Antarctica began in 1977. Erebus crash site map This map shows the actual flight path of Air New Zealand Flight TE901 on 28 November 1979 (solid red line) before it crashed on the lower slopes of Mt Erebus. Erebus. CEO Rob Fyfe apologises to the families of victims of the Erebus tragedy as they "did not receive the support and compassion that they should have from Air New Zealand at the time.". After 20 years, the Mahon Report was eventually tabbed in the New Zealand Parliament in 1999, which meant that the Mahon Report was officially accepted as an official government report. October 23 - at Air New Zealand's head office in Auckland, a memorial named 'Momentum' is unveiled as a representation of the history of Air New Zealand, including Erebus. Crash site on Mt Erebus This item comes from Ministry for Culture and Heritage and is part of their collection NZHistory Please view the item on their site Opens in new window for the definitive information on how it can be used. In the detailed image Mt Erebus is in the foreground. Lizzie Oakes was 10 when she lost her Nan on the flight, 40 years later she talks with others whose lives have been impacted by the disaster in a series of podcasts titled Erebus Engraved On Our Hearts. It detailed the probable cause of the accident as being "the decision of the Captian to continue the flight at low level toward an area of poor surface and horizon definition when the crew was not certain of their position and the subsequent inability to identify the rising terrain that intercepted the aircraft's flight path. Powered by www.VolcanoDiscovery.com Audio and visual footage relating to the accident, A place to remember the crew and passengers of flight TE901, Responsive Website Design & Development by NetPotential | Six months after the accident. photos There were few intact bodies. This moved the destination point some 27 nautical miles to the west. Visit for all the facts, newspaper articles (1979 to present), video, photos, recover team accounts and more. It is dedicated to informing others about the plane accident that took the lives of 257 passengers and crew of Air NZ flight TE901. Stu had also seen a fair few bodies in his four years. Erebus disaster that challenged the official government explanation for the crash and accused Air New Zealand of a cover-up campaign. Instead of the instrument flight rules (IFR) route taking aircraft over Mt Erebus en route to McMurdo Station, it would take them over sea ice west of the Dailey Islands. The Mt Erebus crash was the third in that list and by far the deadliest. Home Official site about the 1979 Mt Erebus plane crash. Before Erebus he was stationed in Antarctica as the Field Safety Leader for the NZ Antarctic Research Programme (NZARP). There were many consequences of the Erebus crash, some more significant than others and some still effecting society today. All 237 passengers and 10 crew perished. Commander Victor Pesces and the crew of his C-130 Hercules saw what looked like a black 'smear' on the face of Mt Erebus about 10 miles away but because of the weather conditions, they were unable to actually land at the site. No one told the flight crew. 58C E 561232 N 1403870. Jul 25, 2013 - Map showing the flight path of Air New Zealand Flight TE901 on 28 November 1979 The aircraft crashed into Mt. They believed they had made an adjustment of 2.1 nautical miles to the longstanding destination point, but when translated into the current flight plan it was actually an adjustment of 27 nautical miles to the east. The name of the volcano that an Air … The NZ Government announced a Royale Commission of Inquiry was to be conducted into the accident by Jutice Peter Mahon. Instead of the IFR route taking TE901 over flat sea ice, as members of the flight crew had been briefed, it would take them over Mt Erebus, a 3794-metre active volcano. In the period the Antarctic flights operated, the position of the destination point changed three times: A number of flight crews in 1978/79noticed the discrepancy in the destination point, but it was first reported to Air New Zealand by Captain Simpson following his Antarctic flight on 14 November 1979. Antarctica NZ (30th Mar 2016). Air New Zealand formally apologized for the crash to the victims families on October 23rd 2009, 30 years after the event occurred. In 1977, a flight path was developed by Air New Zealand for the DC 10's flight computers to fly to Antarctica via an end waypoint above the Williams field ice runway at McMurdo Station. Please take time to browse through this site and learn about the events on 28 November, 1979. All non-text content is subject to specific conditions. Image: nzgeo.com November - Five representatives for the families of victims and crew visit Antarctica for a special 30 year Memorial Service. The Mount Erebus disaster occurred on 28 November 1979 when Air New Zealand Flight 901 (TE-901) flew into Mount Erebus on Ross Island, Antarctica, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew on board. EDITORIAL. Air New Zealand Scenic Antarctic flights began, Flight path fed into ground computer incorrectly, Chippindale report approved for release as a public document, Acceptance of the Mahon Erebus Report by the NZ Parliament. Tell me more... 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On 28 November 1979, a sightseeing aircraft carrying 257 people crashed head-on into the side of a volcano in Antarctica. Forty years ago, Air New Zealand chartered flight 901 to Antarctica that was supposed to show its passengers the beauties of the southernmost continent. Air New Zealand had been operating scheduled Antarctic sightseeing flights since 1977. Air New Zealand is considering giving three family members of victims of the Mount Erebus disaster the chance to visit the crash site to mark the 30th anniversary of the accident on November 28. However, they were not alerted to the adjustment either before or during their pre-flight briefing. To the south, the Erebus ice tongue stretches out into McMurdo Sound. Erebus. The tragic Mount Erebus Disaster, which happened 40 years ago this week, is one of the worst peacetime disasters in New Zealand’s history. This site is produced by the History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Later that morning the flight crew of Flight TE901 were handed the adjusted 'correct' flight plan. In 1979, the Air New Zealand navigation division fed the Antarctic flight plan into a new ground computer. Although it did not occur on New Zealand territory, the crash of an Air New Zealand DC10 on Mt Erebus, Antarctica, in 1979 with the loss of 257 lives is widely regarded as New Zealand’s worst air accident. Comprehensive information about the Erebus disaster, including the controversial cover up. A few weeks before the fatal flight, another pilot had queried the flight path after he noticed McMurdo Sound was further away than this computerised track. Keyword. In Greek myth, Erebus was the son of the god Chaos, and his mother was Gaia or Earth. If it's happening in commercial aviation, you'll get the information and opinions here first. The proposal was first made in 2018 and, after vigorous opposition by many Parnell residents, the resolution passed narrowly, with four votes to three. Weather permitting, participants will be able to view Mt Erebus from there. S 77° 25.830 E 167° 31.275. "The equipment today is extremely good. The Antarctica flights. Meet the NZHistory.net.nz team. Upon completion of the first two Antarctic flights, the waypoint was adjusted slightly to a new position at McMurdo Station. “Human and machine. The legacy of Erebus. The wreckage of the flight remains largely in place near Mount Erebus. Edit +-Close. This map shows the actual flight path of Air New Zealand Flight TE901 on 28 November 1979 (solid red line) before it crashed on the lower slopes of Mt Erebus. All 257 people on board had died. This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. There were no signs of survivors. “It was total destruction,” Greg says. However the aircraft was not flying over open water, but getting closer and closer to Mt Erebus, until at 12.49 a Ground Proximity Warning went off too late as they then collided with the mountain. On November 28, 2019, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern apologized for the government’s handling of the situation at the time. RNZ and Stuff's new podcast, White Silence, explores the Erebus disaster 40 years on and explains why the controversy remains. After the briefing the crew undertook pre-flight checks which included manually entering the coordinates from the flight plan into the on-board computer and double-checking that they were correct. The report was released on 27th April 1981, attributed the singular case of the crash process where the navigation computer co-ordinates were altered by Air New Zealand without advising the flight crew. The tragic story of the Air New Zealand jet that flew into Mt Erebus, killing all 257 people on board ... plane crash. Ray Goldring is a mountaineering expert who was deployed to the crash site at Erebus to assist the Police and accident investigators throughout ‘Operation Overdue’. Description Air New Zealand DC10 crash site on Mt Erebus| 10 years after crash| 7/12/87 Date Taken 1987-12-07 Original Print Location Mount Erebus Disaster Crash Site. in Plane Crash Sites. The crash of an Air New Zealand plane on Mt Erebus on 28 November 1979 was the country's deadliest disaster, and the investigation into it produced the now well-known phrase: "An orchestrated litany of lies" .