Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in the Tararua Mountain Range: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1946 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4573
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
6203
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a meteorological survey mission and left Ohakea AFB at 0700LT. Ten minutes later, while cruising in the Waitohu Valley in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Tararua Mountain Range. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 4 crew members was found. On March 19, 1949, walkers found the wreckage of the aircraft in a wooded area located near Otaki.
Crew:
F/Lt Walter Jacobs,
F/Lt Sydney Langton,
W/O Hedley Newell,
AC1 Anthony Hayhurst.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II in the Tararua Mountain Range: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1941 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ1302
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Woodbourne - Woodbourne
MSN:
553
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RNZAF Woodbourne (near Blenheim) at 0907LT with a scheduled return at 1115LT. The aircraft failed to return and SAR were initiated. Unfortunately, no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot found and all operations were abandoned after a week. A hunter found the wreckage on April 5, 1980 in an isolated area located in the Tararua Mountain Range, between Masterton, Paraparaumu and Waikanae.
Crew:
LAC Selwyn Sinclair, pilot.