Air New Zealand Flight 4374 was a flight from Gisborne which crashed while landing at Auckland, killing two of the four on board.

Air New Zealand Flight 4374
An Air New Zealand Fokker F27 similar to the one involved.
Accident
Date17 February 1979
SummaryControlled flight into terrain
SiteManukau Harbour
Aircraft
Aircraft typeFokker F-27 Friendship
OperatorAir New Zealand
RegistrationZK-NFC
Flight originGisborne Airport
DestinationAuckland International Airport
Passengers2
Crew2
Fatalities2
Injuries2
Survivors2

Aircraft

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The Fokker Friendship F27-500 was eight years old at the time of the crash. Until 1977 the aircraft had been operated by the New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) as the result of merger.

Crash

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At 14:28 the aircraft had descended to 3000 feet and the pilots deployed the flaps. The aircraft's speed was 165 knots, and increased to 211 knots; 2 minutes 14 seconds later the aircraft crashed into the harbour killing two, the captain and a passenger.

 
Recovery of aircraft from harbour in Mangere, Auckland

Cause

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The investigation found that the crew were likely misled by a visual illusion due to a rain shower obscuring the runway threshold during their base turn. This, coupled with a failure to monitor their flight instruments effectively, resulted in a controlled flight into terrain.[1]

References

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  1. ^ Wendt, Willem. "Mr". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
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