MOUNT RICHMOND AIR CRASH

Evening Star, Issue 24289, 2 September 1942, Page 4

MOUNT RICHMOND AIR CRASH

INQUIRY BOARD'S FINDINGS PILOT'S ERROR OF JUDGMENT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. The Board of inquiry set up to inquire into the loss of the Union Airways Lockheed aircraft in the crash on Mount Richmond on May 7 reported on the cause of the accident as follows, stated the Minister of Defence today:— “ The evidence mow available (but not available to the pilot at the time) clearly establishes that the wind conditions and velocity existing over the latter half of the flight wore in an exceptional and unascertained degree beyond what the pilot might have anticipated from the forecast. Consequently wo have drawn the conclusion that his ground speed was retarded beyond his expectation, and that when he thought he was turning towards the south and approaching the aerodrome he in reality was short of that point, and impacted with the mountain. At 8.18 a.m. and 8.19 a.m. the pilot received bearings which must have conveyed to him the fact that his course was tending to the south. In view of the unknown factors and other circumstances which must have been known to him at the time, we consider that not later than 8.19 a.m. Commander K. 11. Johnston should have attempted to bear to the north in order to regain his track and remove any possibility of danger from the high country further south. He did not, however, but continued to bear south until 8.22, when the last bearing was sent. In our view his failure to turn north was an error of judgment on the part of the pilot. “ As to the height at which the pilot was flying during the flight, this cannot be established, although we have clearly ascertained that the point of impact on Mount Richmond was 5,130 ft approximately. It should be borne In mind, however, that large downdraughts have been experienced in this locality, and must bo expected, and it is conceivable that on the date in question the pilot may have been flying at a greater height than 5,009 ft. In his manual Commander Johnston stipulated that no greater instrument descent .should be made until an indication had been received that the motors had been heard, and that a minimum height of 5,000 ft should be maintained until the descent commenced. “ In our view, where conditions necessitate an all-instrument flight, a minimum of 5,000 ft is too low, and we recommend that it should never be less than 7,000 ft.”