‘Woeful’ Erebus errors

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 3

‘Woeful’ Erebus errors

PA Auckland An Air New Zealand witness in the DCIO crash inquiry had it put to him yesterday that there was a “woeful story” of errors and omissions by navigation staff. , Mr P. J- Davison, counsel for the family of Captain T. J. Collins, put it to Charles Brian Hewitt, chief navigator for Air New Zealand, that there were 10 errors or omissions ip pre-flight planning, a few of which still had to be proved. Mr Davison said he would call more evidence on some points. He listed the alleged errors or omissions as: . — When Mr Hewitt programmed the computer in September, 1978, he intended aircraft to fly to the McMurdo non-directional beacon. But by mistake he used the co-ordinates of an ice-runway five miles away. He punched the wrong computer button and put a co-ordinate of 164.48 degrees east into the flight plan instead of 166.48, the correct h ad c i iec ked the information he had keyed on the screen against a working sheet and did not pick up the mistake. , , .. He later checked the computer flight plan against the working sheet and once again did not pick up the wrong co-ordinate. Several weeks later an inaccurate track and distance chart was used tor pilot briefing which showed the McMurdo approach over sea ice to the west of Ross Island. This was used by pilots in the 1978 Antarctic flight series. . — When Captain Simpson had reported that something was wrong after the November 14, 1978, flight the navigation section failed'o pick up a two degree error on the flight plans that captains were using, although checks were readily available. — If it was proved that Mr Lawton (navigation services superintendent) had prepared the tracks and distance chart he failed to appreciate the significance of the error when a correction was made in 1979. He had concluded that the error was only 2.1 miles instead of 27 miles. — The navigation section had told Captain Johnson that the error was 2.1 miles and Captain Johnson had failed to appreciate that Captain Simpson had said the position was 27 miles to the west e , — Mr R. Brown, of the navigation section, had programmed the computer so that only the word “McMurdo” was used -wnen flight information was telexed to the air traffic controller at McMurdo. He should have given the actual latitudes and longitudes of the McMurdo way point so that the controller would know exactly where Air New Zealand aircraft were to flv. . , — Having corrected the McMurdo co-ordinates the navigation section should have brought it to the attention of crews. Mr Hewitt had said he had given this information to the pre-flignt dispatcher who in turn had failed to give it to either Captain White (who com[manded the previous flight) 'or Captain Collins. ’ All these errors had taken ! place. Mr Davison suggested, within a navigation section which, according to the company, checked, cross-check-ed, ‘and never assumed anything. “It is a woeful story is it not” Mr Davison said. “It is not a good story,” Mr Hewitt agreed. j Mr Davison: I suggest that > for people whose job it is to [be precise it is a woeful storv. i Mr Hewitt: That is your [opinion, sir. ; The hearing yesterday, fin- • ished at lunchtime and the i inquiry will not resume until | Monday, September S.