Air New Zealand Flight 4374

Air New Zealand Flight 4374

An Air New Zealand Fokker F27 similar to the one involved at Auckland Airport in 1982.
Accident
Date	17 February 1979
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain due to pilot error
Site	Manukau Harbour
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Fokker F-27 Friendship
Operator	Air New Zealand
Registration	ZK-NFC
Flight origin	Gisborne Airport
Destination	Auckland International Airport
Passengers	2
Crew	2
Fatalities	2
Injuries	2
Survivors	2

Air New Zealand Flight NZ4734 was a flight from Gisborne Airport to Auckland Airport which crashed during the landing approach killing two out of four passengers and crew on board.

Aircraft

The Fokker Friendship F27 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).

Crash

At 14:28 Air New Zealand Flight NZ4734 had levelled up to 3000 feet and the pilots deployed the flaps. While the aircraft was landing the aircraft's speed was 165 knots, and increased to 211 knots; 2 minutes 14 seconds later the aircraft collided with the harbour killing two out of four passengers and crew on board—the captain and a passenger on board the flight.

Recovery of aircraft from harbour in Mangere, Auckland

Cause

The accident was caused by the crew being misled by a visual illusion in conditions of reduced visibility into believing they were at a safe height and failing to see the flight instruments sufficiently to confirm their aircraft maintain a safe landing path.

External links

• https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19790217-1
• http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001075653L.html