On January 15, 1960, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration NZ6010) operated by Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF was involved in an aviation accident near Beardmore Glacier, Antarctica during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The decision to attempt a landing during whiteout conditions led to the aircraft striking the ground. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft crashed while attempting to land in whiteout conditions during a supply mission to Beardmore Glacier, resulting in the abandonment of the plane.
What happened
During a scheduled supply mission directed toward the Beardmore Glacier, the flight crew attempted to perform a landing despite the presence of severe whiteout conditions. During this maneuver, the aircraft made contact with the icy surface, leading to a crash. Following the impact, the two pilots remained at the site and were successfully rescued five days after the accident occurred.
Findings
The crew chose to proceed with landing operations while visibility was obscured by whiteout conditions.
The aircraft was left at the crash site following the rescue of the occupants.
Probable cause
The decision to attempt a landing during whiteout conditions led to the aircraft striking the ground.