Whenuapai - Whenuapai

On March 21, 1945 at 10:30 AM, Whenuapai - Whenuapai experienced a crash involving Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, operated by Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF, with the event recorded near Kaukapakapa Auckland Council.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

5 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 20.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew was performing a training mission out of Whenuapai AFB when the twin engine aircraft collided with a RNZAF C-47 registered NZ3501 over Kaukapakapa. The crew of the C-47 was able to return to Whenuapai AFB with minor damages and landed safely. The captain of the Ventura ordered his crew to bail out and attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a field in Kaukapakapa. The pilot F/Lt William Farnsworth was killed while his crew was unhurt.

Aircraft reference details include registration NZ4518.