Q&A

What caused Erebus crash?

What caused Erebus crash?

At 12.49 p.m. NZST, the aircraft crashed into the lower slopes of Mt Erebus killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew on board. While the chief inspector of air accidents attributed the disaster to pilot error, Justice Peter Mahon’s Royal Commission of Inquiry placed the blame on Air New Zealand and its systems.

What make of plane crashed into Mount Erebus in 1979?

Mount Erebus disaster

Accident
Aircraft type McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
Operator Air New Zealand
Registration ZK-NZP
Flight origin Auckland International Airport

How many people died in Erebus crash?

257
Mount Erebus disaster/Number of deaths

What was the effect of the Erebus disaster?

The Erebus disaster is considered New Zealand’s worst air accident. On 28 November 1979, Air New Zealand flight TE901 crashed on the slopes of Mount Erebus during a scenic flight over Antarctica, resulting in the deaths of all 257 people on board.

When was the Erebus crash?

28 November 1979
Mount Erebus disaster/Start dates

It remains New Zealand’s worst peacetime disaster. On 28 November 1979, a sightseeing aircraft carrying 257 people crashed head-on into the side of a volcano in Antarctica.

What year was the Erebus crash?

Mount Erebus disaster/Start dates

Why do planes crash?

Aviation accidents can be traced to a variety of causes, including pilot error, air traffic controller error, design and manufacturer defects, maintenance failures, sabotage, or inclement weather.

Is Mt Erebus an active volcano?

Mount Erebus, the world’s southernmost historically active volcano, overlooks the McMurdo research station on Ross Island.

When did the Mt Erebus plane crash happen?

The tragic Mount Erebus Disaster, which happened 40 years ago this week, is one of the worst peacetime disasters in New Zealand’s history. The doomed flight, filled with happy tourists keen to spend a day flying over the stunning expanse of the Antarctic, departed from Auckland on November 8, in 1979.

Who was scheduled to climb Mount Erebus in 1979?

Dignitaries including Sir Edmund Hillary had acted as guides on previous flights. Hillary was scheduled to act as the guide for the fatal flight of 28 November 1979, but had to cancel owing to other commitments. His long-time friend and climbing companion, Peter Mulgrew, stood in as guide.

How many people died in the 1979 Erebus Disaster?

This site is the most comprehensive source of information on the 1979 Erebus disaster. It is dedicated to informing others about the plane accident that took the lives of 257 passengers and crew of Air NZ flight TE901. Please take time to browse through this site and learn about the events on 28 November, 1979.

What was the significance of the Mt Erebus Disaster?

Mt. Erebus Disaster. 1979. The 1979 Erebus Disaster was one of New Zealand’s greatest disasters due to the tragic amount of people lost on the 28th of November. The significance of the crash did not only extend to the victims and their families, but influenced every New Zealander as well as the nation as a whole.