Investigation Focuses On Potentially Hazardous Cargo

New Zealand Investigators Wednesday released the names of two flight crew members killed in the apparent mid-air explosion of their Fairchild Metroliner Tuesday night, as the investigation into exactly what brought the mail plane down continued.

As ANN reported Tuesday, the aircraft, carrying approximately 600 parcels for both New Zealand Post and DHL, exploded during a flight from Auckland to Brenheim. The debris rained down on the small farming town of Stratford, spurring dozens of calls to emergency dispatchers.

The pilots were identified as Clive Rodger Adamson, 43, of Wellington, and Anthony Brian Arthur Drummond, 41, of Manukau City, according to Radio New Zealand reports. New Zealand Post expressed its condolences to their families.

In the meantime, the mystery into what caused the mishap appeared to deepen late Wednesday (local time), as investigators poring over both the wreckage and records pertaining to the flight of the aircraft indicated the plane veered off course before dropping from radar surveillance.

Two investigators from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission were dispatched from Wellington to lead the investigation in a debris field at least three kilometers in diameter.

Investigators Wednesday were trying to collect as many of the packages and letters as possible, looking for clues as to the cause of the mishap. But a spokesman for New Zealand Post said there was no immediate indication that anything hazardous was on the flight at the time of the crash.

Witness reports continued to pour in from the farms surrounding Stratford, where the aircraft went down.

"It exploded right above us. (The wreckage) came over the top of a hill, hit the hill and that ripped the wings off. The cockpit was dug into the ground," said Stratford resident Pete Drinnan.

Another Stratford-area resident, Geoff Hunger, told the New Zealand Press Association the aircraft appeared to be on fire before the explosion.

"It was just a ball of flames... going through the sky and about 20 seconds later there was just a big explosion," he said. "Then you saw what would be the burning bits of the plane falling out of the sky."

FMI: www.taic.org.nz