Woodbourne - Whenuapai

On May 27, 1953 at 08:59 AM, Woodbourne - Whenuapai experienced a crash involving Bristol 170 Freighter, operated by Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF, with the event recorded near Blenheim Marlborough District Council.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a mountains crash site.

5 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Shortly after takeoff from runway 06 at Woodbourne AFB in Blenheim, while climbing, the pilot-in-command made a turn to right when the aircraft entered clouds. Six minutes later, the twin engine airplane hit the slope of a mountain located near Taylor Pass, about 12 km southeast of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed. Crew: Cpt Richard Webb, F/Lt James Brookes, F/Sgt Phillip Diebert, Sgt John Collins, Sgt Thomas Dean.

Aircraft reference details include registration NZ5908, MSN 13061, year of manufacture 1952.