Bloodshot VFR at 1500ft, 260 kts, in an area that neither of the drivers had ever been to, and the CVR recording of uncertainty as to position..
Ever heard of "whiteout",
prospector - the visual illusion created in certain landscapes, where one is led into believing that he is visual with an indiscernible horizon, created by the overhead (lowering) cloud base merging with the (rising) terrain?
this was the fault of the company??
The idiot who altered the co-ordinates -
without telling anyone - placed the crew in an area where they
believed they were over flat terrain.
They were at that altitude because Air New Zealand PROMOTED these flights - via brochures - as "once in a lifetime" opportunities to fly at low level in the vicinity of Erebus.
On this particular flight, an non-pilot employee of Air New Zealand DID programme the aircraft to fly into the mountain, as a result of an unfortunate chain of events.
The ensuing attempt by the company to "cover up" their liability is what stinks!!