This has nothing to do with the cause of the crash but I'd be very grateful if ANYONE was able to advise me just why the pilots' homes were broken into and certain items removed. I really have a problem with that. Just WHO or what had the most to gain by such action?
Casper,
If you've seen the video of Captain Collins' widow, Maria, testifying about this at the Royal Commission, it is quite heartbreaking. She describes how only documents are stolen, yet valuables, such as "a ruby ring surrounded with diamonds" were not taken. "They would be quite distictive" she says, after asked by the lawyer (who is not shown, but I assume it is either Baragwanath or Collins' lawyer). Whilst those of us suspicious about Air NZ's possible conspiracy had our own ideas, Mahon mentions this incident in his book, but explains (rather diplomatically I thought) it as what he considered to be a relative of one the deceased passengers breaking-in, so that they could read an advanced copy of one of the reports that had been handed to Maria.
There was no breakin at the Cassin household (that I am aware of). However, documents relating to the crash were passed to an Air NZ employee by Anne Cassin's brother-in-law, without her being present nor aware of this. Her testimony relating to this I also have on video. Captain Crosby's was identified as being the employee who took the documents.
Captain Crosby's evidence is quite bizarre, as his later evidence at the Royal Commission relates to the missing papers from Captain Collins' black ring binder. He mentions that he doesn't recall removin them, but then when asked if Air NZ were to send an employee to the Cassin house to take documents, who that would have been, he replies "that would be myself I presume".
I have seen it mentioned here that Mahon's house was broken into during the Commission. I hadn't heard of this before - it isn't mentioned in his book - and I am intrigued as to what the motive was behind this.
Nevertheless, all of these sinister acts that were committed after the crash and during the Commission by "persons unknown" have added to the weight of disapproval and anger against the airline at the time (whether that is fair or not is another question).