The Deadliest Plane Crash Coverup: Erebus Disaster

On 28 November 1979, a commercial sightseeing plane carrying 257 people crashed directly into the side of Mount Erebus, a volcano in Antarctica. There was no mechanical failure, no freak snowstorm, and no signs of any panic at all in the final moment before the crash.

There were no survivors of Air New Zealand Flight 901. The tragedy changed New Zealand and marked a loss of innocence in the young nation. The investigation was marred by controversy, and a subsequent inquiry uncovered some shocking lies and coverups perpetrated at the highest levels of the airline and government.

[johnstirling]

The younger brother, (17) of my oldest friend was on the flight. He was gifted the ticket by friends and on arrival at the airport realised he had left his ticket at home, raced home and only just got back in time to make the flight. 43 years on and I sometimes reflect on the life never lived.

[chrisrutherfurd]

My father was a flight engineer on the DC-10 and met Collins and the 901 crew in the briefing lounge in Auckland on the day. My dad flew to Australia and watched 901 depart in front of them. We didn't know where our dad had flown to and only saw reports of a lost ANZ plane. My mom was worried and made phone calls. When dad arrived home later on we all hugged him but he was quiet. He had lost friends that day. Sad sad history.

[BigBadJohn]

I’m an Avionics Technician and I’ve been one for over 20 years, I specialize in Comm/Nav. To this day everywhere I work management tends to make fun of what they perceive to be OCD but it actually goes back to my first years in the job in the military when we were upgrading our fighters Navigational equipment. One aircraft in particular wouldn’t align correctly and I kept sending a part back to Palmdale until it was perfect. In the end I was finally satisfied when I was able to get the variance down to one meter. About a year later our commander was in that Aircraft in bad weather in route to the Azores and it was able to take him right to the end of the runway even though he couldn’t see anything at all. He landed with his Nav, Instruments and RALT and he didn’t have enough fuel to mess around this aircraft was a special case because you couldn’t rely on Radar to aid you. I always reference that in my mind when people insist that I’m being too cautious. What troubles me is that caution isn’t valued in this industry at them moment but I hope some of this high profile mess with Boeing will see a return to a more careful approach, we are right back to dealing with the same issues that were faced in this unfortunate event because people have become complacent and they’re only concerned with price points.

[AngusMacKinnon-xmko]

I remember this crash vey well. A mate of mine who worked with me as a Forensic Photographer, and supported my work as a Senior Forensic Investigator on Victoria, is named as a victim of flight 901. My mate Ron was an avid aviator and photographer booked a seat on Flight 901 except that when he came to board that flight; his then fiancee complained bitterly and Ron decided not to go on that flight and due to the shortness in timing, he hadn't notified Air NZ that he would not be travelling. Ron however was still on the Passenger Manifest of flight 901 and as he later told us; is named on the memorial. Prior to this accident, I was also an avid fan not only of QANTAS but also Air NZ. Ron and I followed the MAHON Royal Commission intently and was absolutely LIVID at the outcome of the Royal Commission, and those two maggots PIGGY MULDOON, and Morrie DAVIS, who covered each other's backsides and blamed the Pilots and Mr MAHON's report. I hope that when those *two REPROBATES* faced the Judgement Seat of the *CREATOR, * they were reminded of the *EIGHTH COMMANDMENT:* *THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR*

[BBChargerspd]

My father was in the US Navy assigned to McMurdo and was on the initial search and rescue team that found the 901 crash site - He was actually given a New Zealand Special Service Medal back in 2015 for it.

[briannehammack]

My dad actually did 2 tours in Antarctica in the 70's and from what he has told me I can't beleive they even allowed this. It may seem exciting but you didn't really want to get stuck out there if something goes wrong.

[julitt]

Mahon was a genuine martyr. This entire episode was shameful.

[jamesm]

We lost several friends on that flight. Compared to the US and Europe, New Zealand is a very small, tight knit place. Had I been alive and on that side of the world back then, I’d have a blast getting to do something like this! That said, the way they tried to pin this on the flight crew is unconscionable. Though it is heartbreaking, I am grateful that people finally learned the truth.

[wingflex-wagga]

I remember being glued to the television that night as a child in Auckland, New Zealand had never experienced loss on that scale and it rocked the country. The following enquiry and cover ups were nothing short of disgraceful, I still feel for the poor police officers that were deployed there to recover the passengers bodies, what a living nightmare that would have been in Artic conditions without training or equipment. RIP

[uhhhitszaide]

As an aviation nerd, I'm SO happy you made this. Keep up the excellent work, you make utterly fascinating videos.

[carlmanvers]

Growing up, 'An orchestrated litany of lies' was a phrase I heard on a seemingly daily basis for a long time. I still use it as a catch phrase to this day.

[ZombieSazza]

As an aviation nerd I’m so glad this case is being covered

Mahon was a true hero and he really did go down swinging, I’m glad the public supported him and understood how corrupt the system was. Families lost loved ones and the “justice” system was determined to protect the corrupt.

[GeneCaraldeworkshop]

Peter Mahon was the light shining in the darkness. May he rest in eternal peace.

[maxhugen]

I was on the last flight to Antarctica before the Mt Erebus disaster. It was on a 747 flying from Sydney, as a fundraiser for charity that supported the families of people lost due to military service.
After reaching Antarctica we were scheduled to fly East towards Mt Erebus, but with bad weather we diverted and looped West instead, over an Aussie base (Davis Station?) where the plane waggled it's wings and engaged via audio with the station, and then a French base (Law-Racoviță-Negoiță Station?).
Fascinating trip, but sad after news of the NZ flight some months later. I had heard at the time that it was due to a whiteout, but knew nothing of the nav issues.
FWIW, I'd point out that on our approach to Antarctica, we flew for quite some time over pack ice, and it seemed as though we were flying barely above the level of the flat tops of glacial icebergs embedded in the pack ice. A guessing comp was run, as to the height the 747 was flying. IIRC, it was around 600 feet! I believe we then rose to a somewhat higher level as we closed in to the Antarctica continent.

[leannemorris]

My dad received a commendation award for his work on this. He passed away and us kids accepted his award 30 years later. He was one of the officers who had to try to piece body parts together. Awful job... trying to match a severed finger with a partial body etc. Like a terrible jigsaw puzzle. Thats what happens when you live in a small country with not enough forensics or time; they ask the police to help.

[johnrauner]

In 1979 250 disabled children were flown by Air New Zealand to the United States at the air lines expense. NZ companies sponsored these children on a 10 day holiday around Los Angeles visiting Disneyland (2 days) Knots Berry Farm, Universal Studios, San Diago Zoo, San Diago Sea World, and a few other places I can't recall.

This trip was the brain child of and organised by a young Air New Zealand stewardess Sue Marinovic . 2 weeks after she returned from this 10 day trip with the children, she was killed on TE901.

Among the children who went on this trip were 20 of my classmates from Homai College For The Blind (the national school for the blind). I was not one of them. But a year later a second trip was organised for 30 more with the left over money and I went on that trip.

I was too young (10) to understand the significance of 901. But a few days after the accident I recall a couple of the staff of Homai College talking about it and that Sue had been on the flight. One of those staff had been on the trip and was very shaken.

[deanothemanc]

Brilliant narration, Peter Mahon is a hero. My father met him in the early 80s, he said he was a lovely bloke.

[felixthecleaner]

'An orchestrated litany of lies' indeed. It was a great vid helping to unravel the mysteries of the Mt Erebus Air New Zealand crash. I did watch the film made about it about 10 years ago (or thereabouts) but it was difficult to follow fully because it was so intricate but I do recall the 'nasty stuff' generated by the Chief Executive Morrie Davis and the Lead Investigator Ron Chippendale who both blamed the pilot fully whilst knowing of *their own company's navigational errors* but not revealing this information to anyone.

I think the expression is: 'Lower Than A Snakes Belly'.

'All-in-all amglimpse, an awesome vid.

[charliebarcampos]

I don't know how your channel hasn't blown up. Your graphics are great and you speak eloquently. Keep up the work!!!

[moirapettifr]

Those years were tragic for aviation. I was in a daze that whole year and it seemed like the entire world was in one big funk. We had Tenerife, the Pacific Air disaster, then Jonestown, the Chicago air crash 191, and omg then Mt Erebus. It was the saddest year ever.