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Crash investigators in conflict

NZPA correspondent London New Zealand's Chief Inspector of Air Accidents (Mr R. 0. Chippindale) said yesterday that he would not make’ any comment on Mr Justice Mahon’s DCIO disaster report until he had read it. Mr Chippindale, who conducted the earlier inquiry

into the Mount Erebus crash, is now in Britain. He told New Zealand High Commission officials in- London he was not willing to speak to journalists at least until he had read the report. However, according to a London report carried by Air New Zealand, Mr Chippindale is sticking to his version that the crash was caused by pilot error. The report said that Mr Chippindale, who is attending an air accident officers’ course in Bedford, said that he knew of the two degree error in the DClO’s computer’s co-ordinates. ’ He said that that factor was brought out in his report. but even so the pilot, Captain T. J. Collins, was wrong in bringing the DCIO down below 6000 ft in whiteout conditions. Mr Chippindale said that he knew of no lying or any conspiracy to cover up information on the part of Air New Zealand management. In his accident report, under the heading “Recognition,” Mr Chippindale said: “Thanks are also due to those members of the investigating teams ... and Air New Zealand, Ltd, who worked with no less effort or co-operation than the supporting personnel.” On the subject of-the computer error, Mr Justice Mahon said at one stage in his report: “The chief inspector did not. make it ejear, however, that the computer flight path of TE9O2 had been altered before -the flight, and that the alteration had not been notified to the air crew. “Had that been disclosed in the chief inspector’s report. then the publicity attending the report would undoubtedly have been differently aligned. "Instead of newspaper headlines featuring only allegations of pilot error, the headlines might well have been dominated by the disclosure that the aircraft had been programmed to fly on a collision course with Mount Erebus, and that the crew had not been told of the change. “As will be seen,’ , the news blackout imposed by the chief executive was very successful. It was not until the hearings of this commission that the real magnitude of the mistake made by flight operations was publicly disclosed.” On the decision to bring the plane down to 1500 ft, his Honour said: “When Captain Collins accepted the invitation from the American air traffic controller to descend to 1500 ft where he would find

himself in clear air, and with unlimited visibility,, he’ was acting in . compliance with authority directly given .<to’ liim by the airline’s briefing officer, and under conditions imposed by the American air traffic controller.” At Air* New Zealand House, the airline’s chief executive, Mr M. R. Davis, was still not making any statements on whether he would resign, or his plans for the airline's future in the light of the report. Sources close to Mr Davis said: “He is definitely not saying anything either way — he won’t confirm, he won’t deny. “He feels that anything he says could be used against him at this stage.” From Seattle, Washington, one of the men who played an important role in proving the innocence of the pilots from blame for the crash. Captain. Gordon Vette, said that he was delighted they had been cleared. Captain Vette, who is Air New Zealand's check and training pilot, said that he had no doubt the inquiry would exonerate the pilots and he was “very pleased” that this had happened. In Seattle for training conversion to the airline’s new Boeing 7475, Captain Vette praised Mr Justice Mahon for “being extremely thorough in the whole investigation.” In Auckland, legal sources indicated that the report’s exoneration of Captain Collins and First Officer Cassin would not necessarily be reflected in legal claims to the High Court for damages.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19810430.2.29

Bibliographic details

Press, 30 April 1981, Page 3

Word Count
650

Crash investigators in conflict Press, 30 April 1981, Page 3

Crash investigators in conflict Press, 30 April 1981, Page 3

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