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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 23, 2018 16:29:42 GMT 12
Ernie Thompson just alerted me to this sad footage. Neither of us had seen it before. Sad to see, and they were so close to the top.  |
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Post by errolmartyn on Feb 23, 2018 19:42:33 GMT 12
From my 'Toll of the Air' series, Part 6 (1946-1948) that appears in the December 2017 issue of the AHSNZ's The Aero Historian (accompanying photos omitted here):
MONDAY 9 AUGUST 1948
New Zealand National Airways Corporation
Douglas DC-3 ZK-AOE Parera
The DC-3, carrying 7744 lb of cargo on behalf of New Zealand Railways, took off on a routine 50 minute freight flight from Woodbourne for Paraparaumu at 8.30 am but failed to arrive, having been last heard from at 8.38 am when crossing the Wairau bar. An air-sea-rescue search by about half a dozen RNZAF aircraft, four launches and two high-speed whale chasers was launched mid-morning but was hampered for some hours by low-cloud. The aircraft was spotted later in the day, at 1.29 pm, lying completely wrecked and partly burnt out at about 1200 feet on the seaward slope of Scraggy Ridge, an isolated spot between Fighting Bay and Port Underwood. The sighting had been made by another NZNAC DC-3 freighter (ZK-AOI flown by Commander B. D. (Ben) New during its southbound run from Paraparaumu; it was one of a number of other aircraft on regular services that were diverted from their normal route to keep a close lookout for the missing freighter. A ground party arriving at the scene at about 4 pm found that both occupants had been killed instantly upon impact; a wrist watch worn by one was found stopped at 8.53 am.
Investigators found that Parera had flown into the cloud covered crest while flying west of its normal course but they were unable to explain what had misled the pilots as to their true position. Among the recommendations made was one for better securing of cargo. The ropes on Parera were found to be old and to have deteriorated, causing them to break on impact and allow the cargo to burst free, and with its momentum carry forward the front part of the aircraft as it scattered itself over the slope.
† Flight Lieutenant Murdo Campbell MacLEOD, RNZAF, aged 40
(Feilding Cemetery)
MacLeod began flying lessons with the Manawatu Aero Club in 1932, gaining his Pilot’s ‘A’ Licence (511) on 28 January 1933. He joined Union Airways (later part of NZNAC) as one of its original pilots, as a second officer, on 9 December 1935, and was promoted to commander two years later. Meanwhile, he also obtained his commercial ‘B’ Licence (118), on 6 November 1936, and a month earlier passed his blind flying test with a mark of 92%. Upon the outbreak of war, though still flying with the airline, he was appointed to a commission in the RNZAF, as a flight lieutenant, on 15 October 1939, and placed on leave without pay from then until posted to the Reserve on 12 June 1940. He had 10,500 hours flying to his credit at the time of the accident.
† Squadron Leader Richard James Robert Haldane (Dick) MAKGILL, AFC, RAF, RNZAF, aged 41
(Cremated at Karori, Wellington)
English-born Makgill was the younger son of the late Sir George Makgill, 11th Baronet and heir presumptive to the baronetcy. Educated at Harrow, he was commissioned in the 18th London Regiment before serving with the RAF as a short service commissioned officer from December 1929 until posted to the Reserve in December 1934. Makgill then became a civil airline pilot, first joining Hillman Airways and then British Continental Airways until it merged with British Airways at which time he joined Imperial Airways. He migrated to New Zealand in November 1937 and joined Cook Strait Airways. Upon the outbreak of war he was appointed to a commission in the RNZAF, on 15 September 1939. His war service included that of flying instructor and, later in the Pacific, as a squadron leader with 6 (Flying Boat) Squadron; he was Commanding Officer of the squadron and later of No 3 (Flying Boat) OTU.
Makgill transferred to NAC in January 1948. His 7388 hours of flying by the time of the accident included a wide range of flying boats and landplanes over Britain, Europe, the Middle East, Pacific and New Zealand. In additional to his Pilot’s ‘B’ Licence he held a Ground Engineer’s and 1st Class Navigator’s Licences. His AFC was awarded for his exceptional devotion to duty, and in particular for his outstanding skill and airmanship in effecting a safe landing at Tonga on 4 July 1944 under extremely adverse weather conditions when delivering His Excellency the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, to the island. The DC-3 freighter service was normally flown by a single pilot accompanied by a freight clerk. Makgill was accompanying MacLeod instead on the fatal flight in order to gain the less than two hours recent flying experience necessary for renewal of his ‘B’ Licence which had expired on 30 June 1948 while he was undergoing some ground courses with the airline.
Errol
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 23, 2018 21:11:20 GMT 12
I'm pretty sure that Dick Makgill also flew Short Singapores with No. 5 Squadron RNZAF, didn't he?
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Post by planewriting on Feb 24, 2018 7:33:47 GMT 12
He flew the RNZAF Mark 3 Sunderlands in the FBTF (Flying Boat Transport Flight)as well in the capacity of Commanding Officer.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 24, 2018 10:36:57 GMT 12
I was correct, I looked it up and he did fly Singapores with No. 5 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Feb 24, 2018 15:10:23 GMT 12
Dick MacGill took over the squadron at Suva in April 1942
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Feb 25, 2018 8:28:23 GMT 12
Cannot remember when it was but when I was in ATC 25 years ago we were looking at maps one night and that site was marked on a topographical map so a few of us decided we would go looking for it.
About 6 weeks later we had worked out a plan for an overnight trip, drove in as far as we could then walked in the direction we thought it was and after a few hours a farmer came down the track on a 4WD motorbike and asked where we were going.
We told him what we were looking for and he said we would never find it as most of the wreckage down a steep hillside and unless you knew where to go you would not have a show.
Fortunateley he knew where to go and took one of the guys up the track to where we then needed to go off the track and go do down some very steep terrain towards the sea to find it.
We met up with our mate some time later who was waiting on the side of the track to where the farmer said where to go, boy it was steep and without the manuka trees to grab onto you would not even attempt it!
So down we went, 200m or so went by and nothing so we thought the farmer had been having us on but then we started coming across pieces of aluminium and they got bigger as went.
Eventually we found the entire rear fuselage which you could walk inside and found a wing complete with registration on it.
I have photos of us in it and the view out to the south as I thought I would take a photo to work out roughly where it was.
Would hate to think how overgrown it is now but was amazing to go and find it even though it ended up there in horrible circumstances.
The only regret I have is that I took a piece from the plane, I should have just left it there really, we had busted a hump to get there so taking a keepsake seemed like the thing to do but I was young then!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 25, 2018 14:32:27 GMT 12
So the wreckage had made its way down the slope over time due to weather I guess?
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Feb 25, 2018 19:14:45 GMT 12
Yes that is what the farmer said.
It was laying on its side when we got to it.
Will email you a few pics as I cant post them here.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 26, 2018 18:51:50 GMT 12
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Post by shorty on Feb 26, 2018 20:18:33 GMT 12
I think there are some shots in my stash thread of the windscreen area and an engine/prop taken in 1968
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Feb 27, 2018 19:23:28 GMT 12
The farmer did tell us there was more of the front end closer to the sea but from the last photo you can see how steep it is and was not worth someone getting an injury by going further and as we found what we went looking for we headed back after a couple of hours.
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Post by davidd on Mar 1, 2018 7:04:27 GMT 12
The remains of AOE were DELIBERATELY moved down the hillsides on both sides in an attempt to cut down on the almost continuous reports of a "crashed aircraft" on the ridge, from well-meaning occupants of light aircraft flying over (and perhaps a few newbie commercial pilots who did not have access to "corporate knowledge"). When I inspected the remains about 30 years ago they looked in slightly better condition than the recently submitted photographs, but basically the same. The two Harvard wrecks in the Kaikouras, dating back to early 1942, also attracted similar "crash" reports for many years, but all the regular airline pilots (and probably the topdressing ones too) knew of their history.
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 1, 2018 10:25:18 GMT 12
The DC-3 remains in the Kaimais were later covered over/buried due to the metal reflecting generating reports too, I believe.
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Post by baz62 on Mar 1, 2018 13:17:25 GMT 12
The remains of AOE were DELIBERATELY moved down the hillsides on both sides in an attempt to cut down on the almost continuous reports of a "crashed aircraft" on the ridge, from well-meaning occupants of light aircraft flying over (and perhaps a few newbie commercial pilots who did not have access to "corporate knowledge"). When I inspected the remains about 30 years ago they looked in slightly better condition than the recently submitted photographs, but basically the same. The two Harvard wrecks in the Kaikouras, dating back to early 1942, also attracted similar "crash" reports for many years, but all the regular airline pilots (and probably the topdressing ones too) knew of their history. David D One of those MKII Harvard's got recovered didn't it? There was an article about it in NZ Wings in the 80s I think. |
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Mar 18, 2018 20:08:50 GMT 12
The remains of AOE were DELIBERATELY moved down the hillsides on both sides in an attempt to cut down on the almost continuous reports of a "crashed aircraft" on the ridge, from well-meaning occupants of light aircraft flying over (and perhaps a few newbie commercial pilots who did not have access to "corporate knowledge"). When I inspected the remains about 30 years ago they looked in slightly better condition than the recently submitted photographs, but basically the same. The two Harvard wrecks in the Kaikouras, dating back to early 1942, also attracted similar "crash" reports for many years, but all the regular airline pilots (and probably the topdressing ones too) knew of their history. David D That makes sense, we could not figure out how it got so far down the hill on its own. |
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Post by planewriting on Mar 18, 2018 22:36:04 GMT 12
On the subject of NAC accidents; today marks 69 years since Lodestar ZK-AKX crashed at Waikanae on approach to Paraparaumu with the loss of 15 lives.
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axelford
Squadron Leader
I have visited 13 Plane wreck sites and counting, happy to help with info!
Posts: 121
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Post by axelford on Jan 11, 2021 13:52:18 GMT 12
So I assume civil aviation is the category this goes under. While on holiday managed to visit ZK-AOE's crash site, this was quite difficult as the land owners were a faceless corporate entity and didn't want people walking around on an active logging site (fair enough), luckily some people who used to be landowners and still have a bach nearby gave us lots of help and very last minute invited us and showed a shortcut-so thanks to them! This was done near to Christmas and thus no logging was happening, otherwise this place is essentially inaccessible year round.      I have more photos but they're all locked away on my camera until I get a card reader cable or the like. This crash site is the largest I've been to and it's very sobering seeing the fire damage and twisted metal from such a high speed impact, it's one of those crashes that so easily could have been different. Something to note is that most of the plane that hit the hill is still there. The tail and wings have been shoved off the ridge and in a gully and the remaining engine (other was taken for a RNZAF display C-47 apparently) and cockpit are buried by pine needles and ferns on the opposite side, I doubt much has been taken besides the cargo. That's my one regret that I couldn't have gone sooner (decades perhaps, but that's impossible  ) as there were sizeable saplings on that face that make that area impossible to get to. hope you guys liked the pictures, I'll post the Hudson ones tomorrow probably. Edit: hope the pictures actually work  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 11, 2021 15:25:45 GMT 12
The photos are not showing Can one of the Flickr users help with advice, please? |
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Post by markrogers on Jan 11, 2021 16:56:05 GMT 12
Right click on the images and select "open image in new tab" and they should show up.
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) as there were sizeable saplings on that face that make that area impossible to get to.
