'Mid air explosion' over New Plymouth
 

Breaking news on TV3 News just now.

Unconfirmed reports that it could a NZ Post plane - they use Metros and Fokker 50 I think.

I hope its not too bad.....:uhoh:

NEWSFLASH - possible mid-air explosion over Stratford, NZ
 

Breaking news on the TV that a large explosion and fireball has been seen over Stratford in NZ, and that pieces of aircraft wreckage have been reported as falling into farm fields.

That is more or less on the AKL-WLG track I would think.

It may be nothing, we will see...

Now reported as a NZ Post (Airwork) Metro with two crew...

Latest is that it may be an Airwork (AirPost) Metro.
Tragic for all involved.:(

Plane down in Taranaki, say police

03.05.05 10.45pm


An aircraft has crashed east of Stratford in South Taranaki tonight, police are reporting.

The Maritime Safety Authority said a plane went missing off Christchurch air traffic control screens at about 10.20pm.

NZ Post confirmed to NZPA that one of its Metroliner aircraft was missing on a flight between Wellington and Auckland.

A Stratford police spokeswoman said police had received calls of a loud noise in the sky followed by the blast. The spokeswoman said the blast was reported to have shaken the ground.

"Everyone seems to have heard the blast but nobody saw any explosion", she said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?...ectID=10123719

Love and best wishes to Airwork and family...

yet another sad day for NZ aviation

Geez that's terrible...

Doesn't look good, but I'm hoping for a miracle anyway...

Thoughts to everyone @ NZ Post... :(

Sky

Wonder what happened....

Regards to the families at NZ Post.

My thoughts are with the families and all the folk at Airpost as well as the unfortunate Taranaki controller that watched an aircraft disappear off the screen.
:sad:

NZ Herald 4/5/05

A New Zealand Post mail plane exploded over south Taranaki last night in a fireball, killing two crew members.

Farmers heard a huge bang then felt the ground shudder and smelled aviation fuel as the Metroliner aircraft en route from Auckland to Blenheim went down.

Emergency crews worked in heavy rain and wind to try to locate the courier aircraft in hill country 7km east of Stratford.

The New Plymouth fire service found the fuselage about 11.30pm.

Residents said some of the falling wreckage had hit a farmhouse.

Callers flooded 111 lines shortly after 10.20pm after hearing an explosion at the time as the Maritime Safety Authority reported a plane had disappeared off the Christchurch air traffic control radar.

NZ Post confirmed that the plane was one of its eight AirPost aircraft specially equipped to carry mail around the country.

Spokesman Ian Long said it was carrying a pilot and co-pilot but no other passengers. NZ Post would today begin investigating how the tragedy occurred and whether any of the mail was recoverable.

NZ Post expressed its condolences to the families of the crew.

After the crash police had appealed for residents to stay home to speed up the rescue efforts as farmers flooded into lanes and roads to look for the wreckage, which was spread over a considerable area.

Resident Craig Hicks had just got into bed on his parents' farm west of Toko when he heard "a hell of a noise".

"It was a quick, whining, sizzling noise as it shot through. I ran out and it was in the distance.

"I saw a whole lot of little explosions. As it went out across the farmland, the first bit of light was almost like a flare, crawling out of the sky. It was quite bright, and it fell slowly to the ground.

"It sounded like rapid fire gunshots going off in the distance. Then there was another bright light, but it wasn't falling, but then another piece fell, and the third bit was just sitting like a glowing light in the sky. And then it faded to black through the rain and the tree tops.

"It was a good 30 to 40 seconds of action before it faded."

Mr Hicks, 41, jumped into his car and headed towards Toko.

"There were cardboard boxes and plastic sheeting all around the district. There was this strong smell as I drove down the road, oil and fuel maybe."




My thoughts and condolences to all at Airwork and ATC.

Sincere condolences to all at Airwork and to the families of those involved .... my thoughts also go to the Radar Controller.

04.05.05 8.30am

Police overnight found the wreckage of a mail plane, including the cockpit with two bodies inside, that apparently exploded over Taranaki last night.

Residents in the area where wreckage came down spoke of hearing a loud explosion and seeing a ball of fire in the sky.

The Metroliner, flying from Auckland to Blenheim on a scheduled NZ Post return flight, crashed at 10.15 last night about 5km east of Stratford, police said in a statement early today.

Debris had fallen on farmland with substantial pieces of wreckage being found.

Among the pieces of wreckage was the cockpit area found about 12.30am, containing the bodies of the two pilots, police said.

A police scene guard was in place, and police asked those living in the area of East Rd and Stratford Rd to check their properties this morning and contact Stratford police if they found any debris believed to be from the aircraft.

Inspector Tom Ireland of police central communications said it appeared wreckage had been scattered over at least two to three sq km.

Major pieces of wreckage had been found in gullies and wooded areas, with the Fire Service being called in to put out fires.

It was expected the bodies of the two crew would be removed today once the scene had been photographed for the air crash investigation being held to find the cause of the crash.

Police had received about 20 phone calls about the crash, with reports varying from "a ball of fire in the sky", to "a ball of fire on the ground", he told National Radio.

"So at some stage there has been a fire, whether it's been in the air, and a break-up has occurred in the air, or on the ground, that's for the air crash investigators to determine."

He expected some of the cargo would be among the wreckage and he expected efforts would be made to retrieve that during the day.

"In this case the plane's come down from over 20,000 feet, so the impact's been quite substantial and there will of course be debris spread over quite a wide ... field."

Last night's operation had not been difficult, with the Rescue Coordination Centre putting a helicopter up and police getting staff to the area, Mr Ireland said.

"It was just a matter of locating exactly where the aircraft had come to rest, in the major pieces.

"Being in rural farmland, of course, we were very, very lucky that there were no injuries on the ground."

NZ Post spokesman Ian Long said today the plane had been carrying items sent through courier brands Courier Post and Skyroad, largely all destined for Blenheim and Nelson.

The brands were operated by the company Express Couriers, a joint venture between NZ Post and DHL.

The aircraft had been operated by Airworks on behalf of NZ Post.

Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokesman Steve Corbett said the wreckage had been found "roughly on course". Weather conditions had not been great.

A resident in the area told National Radio she had heard what she first thought was a car "screaming up the road", then there had been "an almighty explosion".

Going outside she had seen "a great big ball of fire in the sky above the house, sort of. You could see pieces falling. Something's exploded in the sky."

Another resident said he had heard what sounded like a "big clap of thunder".

Condolences to the families of the 2 pilots who were driving, and to the ATC'er in CHC. Just been on the phone to Mum and Dad back in NZ, and they told me what had happened.
I am over here in the UK, and having done a number of mail flights for bmi, over the years, feel shocked at what happened last night.

I hope the cause comes to light asap so everyone can start finding answers.

Kia Kaha, Girls and Guys.

Thoughts go out to the families and to ATC-

Was ZK- POA with a recent engine change :uhoh:

Cpt- Roger Adimson
Co- Tony Drumond

Peace

Very Sad & thoughts go out to all

Roger was a real nice bloke who gave me a mighty C150 rating many moons ago & was always up for a chat and coffee when we crossed paths again. Thoughts go out to your wife & kids, We'll miss ya mate :{

Its always one of the good guys, a proud family man. Roger your smiley face on the ramp will be missed. Its really beyond words. Heartfelt condolences to the family.:(

A sad day indeed
 

Our thoughts and condolances to all the family and friends touched by this tragedy.

Nosey and family

As a past student and mate of the co I wanna pass on condolences to both the families of tony and roger. May they rest in peace

C

Did Roger once work for Eagle air? Very sad day:(

Condolences to everyone.

Just seen the midday news and this looks like a strange one.

Condolences to everybody involved

Hopefully we all find out soon the possible cause of this horrible accident.

R.I.P.

splat