Ansett New Zealand Flight 703
The wreckage of the aircraft the day after the crash | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 9 June 1995 |
| Summary | Controlled flight into terrain |
| Site | Tararua Range, near Palmerston North Airport, New Zealand 40°20′0.07″S 175°48′0.28″E |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 |
| Aircraft name | Palmerston North |
| Operator | Ansett New Zealand |
| IATA flight No. | ZQ703 |
| ICAO flight No. | NZA703 |
| Call sign | ANSETT 703 |
| Registration | ZK-NEY |
| Flight origin | Auckland Airport |
| Destination | Palmerston North Airport |
| Occupants | 21 |
| Passengers | 18 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Injuries | 17 |
| Survivors | 17 |
Ansett New Zealand Flight 703 was a scheduled flight from Auckland to Palmerston North. On 9 June 1995, the de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 aircraft crashed into the Tararua Range on approach to Palmerston North. The flight attendant and three passengers died as a result of the crash; the two pilots and 15 passengers survived.
While conducting an instrument approach in inclement weather, the aircraft's right main landing gear failed to extend and the captain decided to continue the approach while the first officer performed the alternate extension procedure. Distracted with the first officer's attempt to lower the gear, the captain allowed the aircraft to drift off-profile towards the Tararua Range. Due to reasons unknown, the ground proximity warning system sounded with insufficient warning for the pilots to avert the accident.