Revisiting Erebus

Jim Anderton wants a Government declaration that the pilots of the aircraft that hit Mt Erebus were not responsible for the disaster.

I have mixed feelings on this. I certainly agree that Judge Mahon had it largely right and that Air New Zealand covered up, and that the reprogramming of the aircraft was the main factor.

But I am not sure one can go from that, to say the pilots had no responsibility. They were flying at a very low height in fog, and this was not a great idea, even if one is relying on the computer.

It has always seemed to me to be the combination of the Air NZ computer fault and the pilot’s decision to fly low in fog which cuased the crash. Trying to say it is all due to one side or the other 25 years on is fairly pointless.