According to the official investigation report released by the New Zealand Royal Commission, Air New Zealand Flight TE 901 crashed into Antarctica’s Mount Erebus on November 28, 1979, killing all 257 people on board. The fatal disaster involving the McDonnell-Douglas DC10-30 aircraft was triggered when flight operations staff altered ground navigation computer coordinates without notifying the flight crew, shifting the route 27 miles east into hazardous terrain.
Navigation Computer Errors and Flight Path Alterations
The tragedy originated when the ground navigation computer coordinates were modified by the flight operations division without the knowledge of the aircraft’s crew, according to the Royal Commission report cited by internationalmedia.co.id. This unannounced longitude adjustment shifted the flight path 27 miles to the east, moving the aircraft away from a safe route over the flat McMurdo Sound and directly toward Mount Erebus on Ross Island.
Captain Pilot Collins and his cockpit crew relied entirely on the route plotting prepared the night before. They believed the autopilot system was guiding them safely through the center of McMurdo Sound. The flight reported being 43 miles north at 18.000 kaki, requesting permission to descend under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), before confirming a descent to 10.000 kaki and requesting radar let-down assistance through cloud cover.
The Fatal Impact and Whiteout Phenomenon
The final radio transmission from Flight TE 901 placed the aircraft at an altitude of 6.000 kaki, continuing a descent toward 2.000 kaki. Shortly after this communication, the aircraft struck the slopes of Mount Erebus at an elevation of 1.500 kaki while traveling in a straight and level position at 260 knot speeds, as detailed in the investigation findings.
According to internationalmedia.co.id, the disaster claimed the lives of all 237 passengers and 20 crew members, leaving no survivors. Investigators determined that the autopilot followed the erroneous route while a severe whiteout condition created a dangerous optical illusion. Dim light beneath the cloud layer reflected off the flat snow surface, making the upward-sloping mountain appear completely flat to the five individuals in the cockpit.
Did You Know?
According to the New Zealand Royal Commission findings, none of the five crew members in the cockpit of Flight TE 901 detected the mountain slope ahead of them due to the whiteout illusion until the moment of impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Air New Zealand Flight TE 901 crash occur?
The crash occurred on November 28, 1979, according to the official Royal Commission report.
What caused the aircraft to deviate from its safe path?
The flight operations division altered coordinates in the ground navigation computer without notifying the crew, shifting the route 27 miles east toward Mount Erebus, as reported by internationalmedia.co.id.
How many people were on board the flight?
A total of 257 people were on board, consisting of 237 passengers and 20 crew members, with no survivors.
What role did weather play in the accident?
A whiteout optical illusion caused by dim light reflecting off flat snow made the sloping mountain appear completely flat to the cockpit crew.
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