MT. RICHMOND CRASH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 2 September 1942, Page 2

MT. RICHMOND CRASH

ERROR OF JUDGMENT FINDING OF BOARD OF INQUIRY CURTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS MADE Wellington, This Day. The Board of Inquiry set up to inquire into the loss of the Union Airways Lockheed aircraft in a crash on Mount Richmond on 7th May reported on the cause of the accident as follows, stated the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, to» day : “The evidence now available, but not available to the pilot at the time, clearly establishes that wind conditions and velocity existed over the latter half of the flight in an exceptional and unascertained degree beyond what the pilot might anticipate from the forecast. Consequently we 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. R. Johnston should have attempted to bear to the north in order to regain his track and remove any possibility of danger from high country further south. He did not, however, but continued to bear south until 8.22, when his 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 clearly ascertained that the point of impact on Mount Richmnod was 5150 feet approximately. It should be borne in mind, however, that large down draughts had been experienced in this locality and must be expected, and it is conceivable that on the date in question the pilot may have been flying at a greater height than 5000 feet. In his manual Commander Johnston stipulated that no greater instrument descent be made until an indication had been received that the motors have been heard and that a minimum height of 5000 feet should be maintained until the descent commenced. In our view where conditions necessitate an all-instrument flight a minimum of 5000 feet is too low and we recommend should never be less than 7000 feet.” •

THE RECOMMENDATIONS The board made the following recommendations : “That there should be reorganisation in respect of control of these stations with a view to unification of control and the provision of recognised and efficient training of officers.

“That the calibration of direction finding stations should be completed and stations when calibrated should be cleared for general use at the earliest possible date. “That the company should insist on pilots arriving not less than fifteen minutes before scheduled time of departure of any commercial flight. “That the personnel employed for recording weather data should be efficiently experienced to justify confidence in their observations.” ACTION ALREADY TAKEN Tlie Minister said action had already been taken in providing for additional training radio operators for the direction finding service and consideration was being given to the board’s recommendation concerning the provision of unified control of direction finding stations. The calibration of all main direction finding stations had now been completed and they would be clear, cd for general use as soon as possible.

The Minister said other factors, including the training and testing of air line pilots in blind approach technique and the provision of efficient ground control had to be taken into consideration before calibrated direction finding stations could be used with safety for blind approach. Union Airways had agreed to give immediate consideration to the recommendation concerning the arrival time of pilots at the aerodrome. Concerning meteorological observers the Minister said that in many cases these are employees of operating companies and not of the Air Department. Instruction had been given to company employees by meteorological officers of the Department. When qualified control officers are appointed it is intended that they be made responsible for furnishing meteorological reports.—P.A.