Date: | Thursday 8 October 1970 |
Time: | 20:10 |
Type: | Lockheed C-121J Super Constellation |
Owner/operator: | United States Navy |
Registration: | 131644 |
MSN: | 4145 |
Year of manufacture: | 1953 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 80 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | McMurdo Sound -
Antarctica
|
Phase: | Landing |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | Christchurch International Airport (CHC/NZCH) |
Destination airport: | McMurdo Station-Williams Field (NZWD) |
Narrative:Weather predictions were favorable for the Antarctic McMurdo Station as the Super Constellation departed Christchurch (CHC), New Zealand. By the time the C-121 arrived, visibility had deteriorated to zero. Blowing snow made the runway invisible. On the second attempt to land the right main landing gear hit a snow bank and separated. Then the right wing broke off, with the airplane sliding through the snow.
Sources:
The tail of the plane / Josh Landis (The Antarctic Sun, 2 Jan. 2000)
Earles L. McCaul
Location
Images:
photo (c) sandwichgirl; McMurdo Sound, Antarctica; 20 January 2007; (CC:by-nc-nd)
photo (c) sandwichgirl; McMurdo Sound, Antarctica; 20 January 2007; (CC:by-nc-nd)
photo (c) sandwichgirl; McMurdo Sound, Antarctica; 20 January 2007; (CC:by-nc-nd)
photo (c) sandwichgirl; McMurdo Sound, Antarctica; 20 January 2007; (CC:by-nc-nd)
photo (c) U.S. Naval Historical Center; near Christchurch, New Zealand; 27 November 1965; (publicdomain)
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |