Kaimai air crash

On Wed 3 July at 8.21 am, the DC-3 flight NZ 441 had departed from Auckland's Whenuapai Airport for Tauranga Airport

There were 3 crew & 20 passengers aboard. (Another 3 passengers had changed their flight plans at the last minute.)

The DC-3 Skyliner ZK-AYZ had flown troops & weapons during WWII, & now flew for the National Airways Corporation (NAC)

Flight 441 was to stop in Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier & Palmerston North, before reaching Wellington in early afternoon

The three crew included: Pilot Len Enchmarch, First Officer Peter Kissel & Air hostess Elizabeth Wilson

At 9.06am, the Pilot contacted the Tauranga Airport Control Tower & gave an estimated arrival time of 9.08am

However, when the Control Tower tried to make contact at 9.14am & again at 9.16 am, there was no reply from the Pilot

A worker at Gordon Quarry heard the plane overhead & the 'woof' sound of an impact at 9.09am, & phoned Matamata Police

The worker thought it unusual to have a passenger plane in the area. (The Quarry is halfway between Te Aroha & Matamata)

The Matamata Police contacted Tauranga Airport at 9.20am & the plane was officially declared missing just after 9.30am

(The air traffic officer had kept calling the DC-3 from 9.21am to 10am, but without a reply.)

The DC-3 had encountered stormy windy weather & drifted to the left as it approached the Kaimai Range

During a strong downdraught, the DC-3 had crashed onto a ridge near Mount Ngatamahinerua & burst into flames

Investigators later estimated the impact speed was from 140kmh to zero in roughly 3.5 metres

Another plane flying from Hamilton across the Kaimai Range at 10am experienced severe downdraughts

The pilot reported the weather encountered to the Tauranga Control Tower & the Tauranga Airport was closed

Searchers set out from Gordon Quarry to begin looking for the plane on Wed 3 July

However, they turned back due to the weather & terrain, & reassembled the next day

RNZ (3 July 1983): John Forster's report on the rescue operations at the Quarry's headquarters (8:03 mins)

Land search parties reformed at Gordon Quarry on Thurs 4 July

Volunteers & NZ Army soldiers began arriving to form search teams

Aerial searches were also carried out by an RNZAF Bristol Freighter & a private helicopter

Pilot Mike Alexander had loaded his Hiller 12E helicopter onto a trailer & travelled from Whanganui during the night

At 11.58am, the Bristol Fighter crew found the plane's wreckage but survivors couldn't be spotted from the helicopter

(The helicopter was the first time that one had been used in a Search & Rescue operation in NZ)

The plane had struck a deep bush-clad rockface at an altitude of around 2460 ft (750m) at 140kmh & caught fire on impact

A map of the location of the plane crash is provided in the NZ History article "Kaimai air crash, 1963"

As the weather had deterioriated, the searchers returned to the Quarry headquarters for the night

Search resumed on Fri 5 July for survivors

After the weather cleared, the search party journeyed by helicopter to resume looking for survivors

The searchers dropped off by helicopter at the crash site found 22 people had died immediately & one later from exposure

Before the recovery of the bodies began, Ministers hovered above in a second helicopter to hold a brief Church service

The recovered bodies were taken to Te Aroha for identification

Due to the remoteness of the crash, the wreckage was secured on site by the NZ Army

News of the crash & those who'd lost their lives was reported in the media, including Gisborne Photo News (8 Aug 1963)

A public enquiry ruled the accident to be a result of stormy weather conditions & poor navigation technology

It recommended aircraft carry locator beacons & distance-measuring equipment be installed at commercial airports

RNZ (3 July 1983): Interview with Wing Commander O'Brien, Inspector of Accidents, on his findings on the crash (1:22min)

In Nov 1963, the Kaimai Range was declared a 'mountainous terrain' & had to be flown over no less than 2000 feet

(Brief summary of findings & photo of the wreckage is provided in NZ History article, "DC-3 crashes in Kaimai Range")

The memorial is located on the Old Te Aroha Rd near Gordon, 4.3 km south-west of the crash site

A photo of the memorial is included in NZHistory article, "Kaimai air crash memorial"

A replica plaque is held by MOTAT

50th Anniversary (2013)

RNZ article with photos of the crashed aircraft & memorial plaque & audio (3:50 mins)

RNZ interview (2013) with Dr Richard Waugh who wrote the book "Kaimai crash" in 2003 (10:21 min)

60th Anniversary (2023)

A memorial display with parts from the wreckage was unveiled at Classic Flyers Aviation Museum, Tauranga Airport in 2023