Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in Mt Egmont: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1944 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4544
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
5744
Location:
Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki)
Taranaki Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route, while flying in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the base of Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki) located south of New Plymouth. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (1st OTU):
F/O Jack Martin,
F/Sgt Arnold Hill,
Sgt Harold Day,
Sgt James McKay,
Sgt Frank Webb.
Probable cause:
According to the investigations, the aircraft was off course at the time of the accident, most probably due to a navigation error caused by an insufficient visibility.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I on Mt Egmont: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
NZ277
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New Plymouth - New Plymouth
MSN:
499
YOM:
1940
Location:
Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki)
Taranaki Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission and left New Plymouth AFB in the day. En route, the twin engine aircraft disappeared without trace. SAR operations were conducted and eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. A hunter found the wreckage in a wooded area located on a slope of Mt Egmont on January 17, 1974. Mt Egmont was later renamed Mt Taranaki.
Crew:
P/O Rodney Dandy,
Sgt Edward Dodson,
Sgt Graham Martin,
Sgt Douglas Martyn.
Probable cause:
According to the RNZAF, the crew was bothered by the sudden deterioration of the weather conditions while flying in a valley close to Mt Egmont. Due to poor visibility and low ceiling, the crew was unable to locate the mountain on which the aircraft crashed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth on Mt Taranaki: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-ABS
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
1488
YOM:
1930
Location:
Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki)
Taranaki Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While cruising at high speed, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Pouakai located northwest of Mt Taranaki, in the Egmont National Park. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and both occupants, pilot Stanley William Green and the photographer James Alexander Austin were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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