Air New Zealand Flight 901 facts for kids
Debris from the DC-10's fuselage photographed in 2004. Most of the wreckage of Flight 901 remains at the accident site.
|
|
| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | 28 November 1979 |
| Summary | Controlled flight into terrain |
| Place | Mount Erebus, Antarctica 77°25′30″S 167°27′30″E / 77.42500°S 167.45833°E |
| Passengers | 237 |
| Crew | 20 |
| Fatalities | 257 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Aircraft type | McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 |
| Airline/user | Air New Zealand |
| Registration | ZK-NZP |
| Flew from | Auckland International Airport |
Air New Zealand Flight 901 was a special sightseeing flight. It flew over the amazing continent of Antarctica. This flight did not land there. Instead, it was meant to fly from Auckland, New Zealand, loop around Antarctica, and then return to Auckland.
On November 28, 1979, this flight tragically crashed. The plane hit Mount Erebus in Antarctica. All 257 people on board died. This accident led to a big investigation.
Contents
What Happened to Air New Zealand Flight 901?
A Special Sightseeing Flight
From 1977 to 1979, Air New Zealand offered unique sightseeing flights. These flights took passengers on a journey over Antarctica. They were very popular. People wanted to see the icy landscapes from above.
The plane used for these flights was a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30. Its tail number was ZK-NZP. It would fly from Auckland, go over Antarctica, and then fly back.
The Crash on Mount Erebus
On November 28, 1979, Flight 901 took off. There were 237 passengers and 20 crew members on board. The weather in Antarctica was very bad that day. There was very poor visibility. This means it was hard to see clearly.
The flight's route had been changed. However, the pilots, Captain Jim Collins and co-pilot Greg Cassin, did not know about this change. They thought they were following the original flight path. Because of the bad weather and the unknown route change, the plane flew directly into Mount Erebus. None of the 257 people survived the crash.
Why Did It Happen?
The first investigation into the crash blamed the pilots. It said the accident was their fault. However, many people protested this finding. They believed there was more to the story.
This led to a new, deeper inquiry. This second investigation found the real cause. The flight's route had been changed the night before the disaster. The new route put the plane directly in the path of Mount Erebus. Crucially, the flight crew was never told about this important change. This lack of communication was the main reason for the accident.
Who Was On Board?
The 257 people on Flight 901 came from many different countries. Most of the passengers and crew were from New Zealand. But people from Japan, the United States, and other nations were also on the flight.
| Country | Passengers | Crew | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
 New Zealand |
180 | 20 | 200 |
 Japan |
24 | 0 | 24 |
 United States |
22 | 0 | 22 |
 United Kingdom |
6 | 0 | 6 |
 India |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Canada |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Mexico |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Australia |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Russia |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Brazil |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 China |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Belgium |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 France |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Germany |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Italy |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Switzerland |
1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 237 | 20 | 257 |
Images for kids
-
ZK-NZP, the aircraft involved in the accident, photographed in 1977
-
Mount Erebus
-
Flight path of Flight 901
-
The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of Air New Zealand Flight 901, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (2015)
-
Photograph of the Erebus Memorial at Waikumete Cemetery, Glen Eden, Auckland, January 2014
See also
In Spanish: Vuelo 901 de Air New Zealand para niños
