The Kaka and the Kereru

For a short time the tragic crash of ZK-AGK Kākā, a Lockheed Electra with 11 people on board was New Zealand’s worst air disaster.
A National Airways Corporation plane (later Air New Zealand), it took off from Hamilton heading to Palmerston North on October 23, 1948. It was a regular route and this time had Commander Max Hare and Second Officer Brian Russell at the helm.
There was nothing unusual about the first flight. The plane refuelled and took on 11 passengers before beginning the flight back. It headed toward Whanganui, a dog leg that took it clear of several large peaks. The plane was noted on the Whanganui beacon about 1.38pm in heavy cloud and rain.
Thirty minutes later there was no sight of it and it was declared missing when it failed to land in Hamilton as scheduled.
A massive search began, badly hampered by the weather and by the fact there was no clear idea where it was. It was three deerstalkers who said they heard a plane near Mt Ruapehu that led to the discovery of the crash site about 900 metres from the summit.
All bodies were recovered. A board of inquiry later said it was pilot error.
New Zealand was only beginning to recover from that news when the Lockheed Loadstar ZK-AKX Kererū went down with 15 people on board on March 18, 1949.
The flight had left from Whenuapai heading to Paraparaumu then on to the South Island. The plane, captained by Commander Richard Warren Bartley had been in regular radio contact. At 9.37am the Paraparaumu control tower heard the plane was two minutes out.
But it never arrived. Twenty minutes later search aircraft were in the air. Heavy cloud made it difficult to see but just after midday the burning wreckage was found in the Tararua foothills.
Searchers went in on foot hoping for survivors but on arrival the next day it was quickly clear the Kererū had exploded on impact and they began the horrible task of bringing back the bodies.
Onboard the Kākā was Lindley Andrews, William Bell, Frederick Follas, Merton Heywood, Margaret Kunz, William Mumford, Gertrude Pease, Roderick Phryn and Trevor and Helen Collinge and their infant son Keith.
George Maximilian Hare, a former Royal New Zealand Air pilot is buried at the Rangiora East Belt Cemetery while Brian Russell is in the Archer St cemetery in Masterton.
Onboard the Kererū was Noeleen Bell, Rogers Boys, Gladys Cattin, Frederick Jeffcott, James June, Edward Phillip James Keeler (Briell), Robert Kennedy, Edna Perkins, William Perkins, Andrew Ryland, Frank Stephens, Edward Thurgood, Joan Treweek and Donald Wilson.
Pilot Richard Bartley is at Waikumete Cemetery in Auckland.
Both times the lack of air navigation beacons was highlighted during inquiries.
Photo of a Lockheed Electra by Ivo Lukacovic.