The Erebus plane crash resulted in a number of consequences that impacted New Zealand society. People all around the country and even the world were affected by the crash. Onboard the fatal plane, passengers were not just from New Zealand. There were 24 passengers from Japan, 22 from the USA, 6 from the United Kingdom, 2 from Canada and 1 each from Australia, France and Switzerland. Due to the fatalities, the crash and following investigation was greatly covered by media outlets from around the world.
John Blumsky was the only media representative who was able to report live from the scene of the crash. Due to the location of Mt Erebus, the site of the crash was very isolated, and it was not feasible for many media outlets to be at the crash site. Blumsky reported back to New Zealand for national and worldwide media coverage using a telephone booth from the ice, sent back reports about casualties, recovery operations and the investigations that were going on.
Throughout New Zealand’s history, there has been affiliation with American forces, especially in times of need, such as the ‘American Invasion’ during the 1940’s. The Erebus Crash was no exception. The actual site investigation, recovery operation and victim identification teams were aided by the United States. The US Navy provided manned helicopters which transported Ron Chippindale, Inspector Robert Mitchell and other members of the site investigation team to the crash site. McMurdo Station is a United States, Antarctic Research Centre. McMurdo Station organised a temporary mortuary where the bodies of crash victims were stored until they could be flown back to New Zealand.
US Navy Flight-Surgeon, Sandra Deegan was put in charge with formally confirming that the crash victims were dead. James Goodrum (also a US Navy Flight-Surgeon) was helped by 12 volunteers at the temporary mortuary. Eight of the men were Americans who were, at the time, working at McMurdo. They volunteered, hoping that it would relieve the pressure on the New Zealand men from Scott Base who would otherwise “need to handle the bodies of their countrymen”.
The workers who were a part of the Erebus crash recovery operation were put under huge mental strain as a consequence of having to recover the victims’ bodies, which had all undergone serious disfigurement and injuries. Due to the isolated location of the crash, the rescue workers also had to deal with the challenges of working in an ice continent. Rescue workers recall Skua gulls trying to eat the bodies of the victims as they were laid out for identification.
An immediate consequence of the crash was Air New Zealand’s termination of the Antarctic sight-seeing flights. The last scenic flight to depart from NZ to Antarctica was the Erebus flight. Air NZ immediately discontinued the flights. Qantas, who was also carrying passengers in a similar endeavour, did stop flights from 1980, due to the repercussions of the crash, but resumed the flights in 1994.
A long-term consequence of the crash was the tainted reputation of Captain Jim Collins. Once released, Ron Chippindale’s ‘Official Accident Report’ placed a lot of blame for the crash on “pilot error”. Chippindale’s report concluded that, had Collin’s stayed above the VMC of 6000 ft, the crash could have been avoided as the plane would have remained in a cloud free area and thus seen Mt Erebus nearing and been able to avoid it. This accusation left Collins’ family broken. They have struggled for the last 35 years to not only deal with the tragic loss of a father and husband, but too also prove that Collins was not to be blamed entirely. In 1991, the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association (NZALPA), along with the Collins Family, set up the ‘Jim Collins Memorial Award’ (previously known as the “NZALPA Aviation Safety Trophy” (1989) and later, the “Collins Family Award”) for ‘exceptional contribution to Aviation safety. Recipients of the award include Captain A. Gordon Vette (1991), who discovered the ‘sector whiteout’ phenomenon; and Hon. Justice, Peter Mahon (posthumously in 2009) for his findings of navigational error in the Erebus case.
Air New Zealand’s reputation was also tarnished with the release of Chippindale’s report was critical of Air New Zealand, condemning the airline for it inadequate crew briefings that didn’t properly clarify flight plans. Chippindale also found that there were inaccuracies with the flight plans given to the pilots. Both of these factors lead to Air New Zealand looking bad on the international stage. Considering that Air New Zealand was (and still is) the national carrier, it was expected that procedures would be up to standard and that errors in flight plans shouldn’t have been made.
Air New Zealand was further criticised by the New Zealand public for their treatment of victim’s families. While awaiting news of their loved ones at Auckland Airport, families were asked to pay the $2 hourly parking rate for the cars of the victims. After investigations were completed, there were calls for Air New Zealand to issue an apology to the victims’ next of kin. It wasn’t until the 23rd of October 2009, that Air New Zealand CEO, Rob Fyfe gave an apology, on behalf of his company, to all those who were affected by the Erebus disaster. He recognized that the families of those who perished on the flight 901 “did not receive that support and compassion they should have from Air New Zealand”. Fyfe went on to apologise for the other failures of in the carrier’s handling of the crash, including the accusations that flight crew were responsible for the tragedy. This apology was also acknowledged by Prime Minister John Key.
Economic consequences of the crash included New Zealand insurance companies being forced to pay millions in settling claims for the 257 passengers and crew. As a result of Mahon’s findings during his Inquiry, Air New Zealand was forced to pay costs for court fees, as well as accident compensation for the 20 Air New Zealand crew members who had been working onboard the plane at the time of the crash.
The Erebus crash had a large impact on New Zealand society. Memorials were set up all over the country in remembrance of those who died on the DC-10. At Auckland Airport, which was to be the end point for the fatal scenic flight, a garden was set up in memory of the 20 Air New Zealand crew who died in Antarctica. At Auckland’s Waikumete Cemetery, a mass grave was dug, containing the 16 unidentified bodies and a plaque with the names of the unknown. St Stephens Anglican Church in Stanmore Bay, Whangaparoa has a stained glass window memorial in memory of the 8 Whangaparoa residents who lost their lives in the crash.
As news of the fatal crash circulated, messages of condolence flooded in from all over the country. These were not just from those who knew the victims, but even from those who had flown with Air New Zealand in the past. For example, in the December 6th issue of the Auckland Star, published a letter of condolence written by the New Zealand Society for the Intellectually Handicapped, who offered sympathy to the cabin crew of flight 901.
John Blumsky was the only media representative who was able to report live from the scene of the crash. Due to the location of Mt Erebus, the site of the crash was very isolated, and it was not feasible for many media outlets to be at the crash site. Blumsky reported back to New Zealand for national and worldwide media coverage using a telephone booth from the ice, sent back reports about casualties, recovery operations and the investigations that were going on.
Throughout New Zealand’s history, there has been affiliation with American forces, especially in times of need, such as the ‘American Invasion’ during the 1940’s. The Erebus Crash was no exception. The actual site investigation, recovery operation and victim identification teams were aided by the United States. The US Navy provided manned helicopters which transported Ron Chippindale, Inspector Robert Mitchell and other members of the site investigation team to the crash site. McMurdo Station is a United States, Antarctic Research Centre. McMurdo Station organised a temporary mortuary where the bodies of crash victims were stored until they could be flown back to New Zealand.
US Navy Flight-Surgeon, Sandra Deegan was put in charge with formally confirming that the crash victims were dead. James Goodrum (also a US Navy Flight-Surgeon) was helped by 12 volunteers at the temporary mortuary. Eight of the men were Americans who were, at the time, working at McMurdo. They volunteered, hoping that it would relieve the pressure on the New Zealand men from Scott Base who would otherwise “need to handle the bodies of their countrymen”.
The workers who were a part of the Erebus crash recovery operation were put under huge mental strain as a consequence of having to recover the victims’ bodies, which had all undergone serious disfigurement and injuries. Due to the isolated location of the crash, the rescue workers also had to deal with the challenges of working in an ice continent. Rescue workers recall Skua gulls trying to eat the bodies of the victims as they were laid out for identification.
An immediate consequence of the crash was Air New Zealand’s termination of the Antarctic sight-seeing flights. The last scenic flight to depart from NZ to Antarctica was the Erebus flight. Air NZ immediately discontinued the flights. Qantas, who was also carrying passengers in a similar endeavour, did stop flights from 1980, due to the repercussions of the crash, but resumed the flights in 1994.
A long-term consequence of the crash was the tainted reputation of Captain Jim Collins. Once released, Ron Chippindale’s ‘Official Accident Report’ placed a lot of blame for the crash on “pilot error”. Chippindale’s report concluded that, had Collin’s stayed above the VMC of 6000 ft, the crash could have been avoided as the plane would have remained in a cloud free area and thus seen Mt Erebus nearing and been able to avoid it. This accusation left Collins’ family broken. They have struggled for the last 35 years to not only deal with the tragic loss of a father and husband, but too also prove that Collins was not to be blamed entirely. In 1991, the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association (NZALPA), along with the Collins Family, set up the ‘Jim Collins Memorial Award’ (previously known as the “NZALPA Aviation Safety Trophy” (1989) and later, the “Collins Family Award”) for ‘exceptional contribution to Aviation safety. Recipients of the award include Captain A. Gordon Vette (1991), who discovered the ‘sector whiteout’ phenomenon; and Hon. Justice, Peter Mahon (posthumously in 2009) for his findings of navigational error in the Erebus case.
Air New Zealand’s reputation was also tarnished with the release of Chippindale’s report was critical of Air New Zealand, condemning the airline for it inadequate crew briefings that didn’t properly clarify flight plans. Chippindale also found that there were inaccuracies with the flight plans given to the pilots. Both of these factors lead to Air New Zealand looking bad on the international stage. Considering that Air New Zealand was (and still is) the national carrier, it was expected that procedures would be up to standard and that errors in flight plans shouldn’t have been made.
Air New Zealand was further criticised by the New Zealand public for their treatment of victim’s families. While awaiting news of their loved ones at Auckland Airport, families were asked to pay the $2 hourly parking rate for the cars of the victims. After investigations were completed, there were calls for Air New Zealand to issue an apology to the victims’ next of kin. It wasn’t until the 23rd of October 2009, that Air New Zealand CEO, Rob Fyfe gave an apology, on behalf of his company, to all those who were affected by the Erebus disaster. He recognized that the families of those who perished on the flight 901 “did not receive that support and compassion they should have from Air New Zealand”. Fyfe went on to apologise for the other failures of in the carrier’s handling of the crash, including the accusations that flight crew were responsible for the tragedy. This apology was also acknowledged by Prime Minister John Key.
Economic consequences of the crash included New Zealand insurance companies being forced to pay millions in settling claims for the 257 passengers and crew. As a result of Mahon’s findings during his Inquiry, Air New Zealand was forced to pay costs for court fees, as well as accident compensation for the 20 Air New Zealand crew members who had been working onboard the plane at the time of the crash.
The Erebus crash had a large impact on New Zealand society. Memorials were set up all over the country in remembrance of those who died on the DC-10. At Auckland Airport, which was to be the end point for the fatal scenic flight, a garden was set up in memory of the 20 Air New Zealand crew who died in Antarctica. At Auckland’s Waikumete Cemetery, a mass grave was dug, containing the 16 unidentified bodies and a plaque with the names of the unknown. St Stephens Anglican Church in Stanmore Bay, Whangaparoa has a stained glass window memorial in memory of the 8 Whangaparoa residents who lost their lives in the crash.
As news of the fatal crash circulated, messages of condolence flooded in from all over the country. These were not just from those who knew the victims, but even from those who had flown with Air New Zealand in the past. For example, in the December 6th issue of the Auckland Star, published a letter of condolence written by the New Zealand Society for the Intellectually Handicapped, who offered sympathy to the cabin crew of flight 901.