Originally Posted by
PapaHotel6
To exonerate Collins from responsibility, as Mahon did,...........................
Justice Mahon also exonerated Hewitt, Gemmel, Hawkins, Vette, Davis, Muldoon and many other individuals involved in this terrible disaster. Unlike the Chippendale report that pointed the finger squarely at the pilots.
It has been quoted before but I shall reproduce it again (we seem to be doing a lot of this lately). The following statements from the Chippendale Report that were the catalyst for the Mahon Inquiry:
· The whiteout phenomenon. Chippindale makes the statement in
paragraph 2.20 that the whiteout conditions made the snow slope appear to the pilots as
“an area of limited visibility”. Justice Mahon’s coverage of the issue shows a
far greater understanding of the illusion presented to the crew. (Refer
paragraphs 165-201, and
paragraphs 266-288)
· Minimum altitude for Antarctic flights being 16,000ft, or 6000ft south of McMurdo if specified visual meteorological conditions (VMC) existed. Mr Chippindale makes much of the captain’s decision to descend below these company-promulgated “absolute” minimum altitudes. Justice Mahon disputes the “absoluteness” of the minimums. An examination of
paragraphs 202-223of his report reveals that whilst Air New Zealand management claimed all Antarctic flights had observed the stated minimums, the majority had not. Furthermore, the company had advertised widely the wonderful views available from the “low-level” scenic flights. (Publicity efforts included the National Film Unit filming the low-level operations – refer MacFarlane book below).
· Changes made to the flight-plan coordinates without the flight-crew’s knowledge. Mr Chippindale acknowledges, in
paragraph 2.5, the failure of Air New Zealand to notify the crew of the change to their flight plan from that on which they had been briefed, but
goes on to make the astounding statement – later in the same paragraph – that
“no evidence was found to suggest that they[the crew]
had been mislead[sic]
by this error”.
The majority of observers and participants in this debate will concede that Justice Peter Mahon never intended to apportion blame to any one person. Instead, through his exhaustive research of the evidence in this case, he discovered the organisational culpabilities and systemic failures within that organisation were the cause of the accident.
If you are not convinced, go back to the Mahon Report and "actually read the words" of the three sections, Areas of Pilot Error Suggested by The Airline or By Civil Aviation (para 289. pages 108-127), The Cause of The Disaster (para385. pages 157-158) and The Epilogue (para 395. page 159)