IN THE NEWS
Original post
Historic wreckage removed illegally
By TANYA KATTERNS - The Dominion Post Last updated 22:46 06/03/2009 Share Print Text Size Supplied DISAPPEARING PLANE: The air force Devon became a landmark high up in the Tararua Range.
The wreckage of a plane strewn near the gravesites of two pilots killed in the crash in the Tararua Range more than 50 years ago has been stripped in an act damned by the Conservation Department "as daylight robbery".
In the past week, parts of the plane's remains, which are now owned by the Crown, have been whisked away and other sections have been moved into clearings for easier removal.
The plane, an RNZAF Devon, was on a training flight from Ohakea when it crashed on Shingle Slip Knob, near Mt Holdsworth, on February 17, 1955.
Flight lieutenants Edward Casey and William Trott were buried 100 metres from the site on a hilltop after their bodies were discovered three days later.
The wreckage and the two simple white crosses bearing the men's names have remained there as a grim reminder of the hazards of the rugged range.
The Conservation Department, which manages Tararua Forest Park, was alerted this week to efforts to remove the wreckage by helicopter.
Tramper Barry Durrant told The Dominion Post he saw a red and white Hughes 500 helicopter make three trips to the site of the wreckage last Friday.
An engine was seen being lifted out of the wreckage and taken to a clearing at a road end.
DOC's Wairarapa area manager Chris Lester said the crash site, though not listed as having historical protection, was part of the forest park's history.
"Even if someone had approached us for consent, I would never have approved it till the RNZAF and the families of the two men who died and were buried nearby were consulted."
The wreckage belonged to the Crown, as it was on crown land, and any attempts to recover the plane had to be granted consent.
"We have been in contact with our lawyers and whatever is going on up there is very illegal. Daylight robbery even. Anyone who thinks they can try to do something like that covertly are fooling themselves."
Mr Lester and a DOC ranger flew to the site on Wednesday.
"There is certainly clear evidence that the engine is gone. Part of a wing has been moved to a clearing for easier removal. We don't know who is behind it and what the motive is. While there may be suspicions, the investigation and groundwork begins.
"We will be monitoring the site."
95 comments
Oops. It seems that although I meant to post some alternative links, I somehow forgot to include the links. Here's the alternative Stuff link to the same article, and the 3 news link. (Hopefully it works this time.)
From reading the article on Stuff, it sounds as if DOC at least is satisfied that the people who stole the wreckage, from the NZ Sport and Vintage Aviation Society, had no intention of malice and didn't realise it was illegal, and DOC hasn't decided whether to prosecute or exactly what to do.
I really hope it's not just left ignored, however, with the museum being allowed to keep it with no kind of penalty. From their own perspective they seemed to have good intentions, even if it arrogantly ignored everyone else who might like to have been consulted about the wreck. If nothing were done after this, it'd set a very bad precedent.
I agree with you about DOC. It's done some weird things in its years, but for the most part I think they do really well given how they have to balance so many different interest groups who'll never agree with each other. (Especially at a ground level, many of the DOC people are awesome.)
Grrrr.
Alternative Stuff link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/2253351/Historic-engine-taken-to-museum
3 News link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/2253351/Historic-engine-taken-to-museum
I have worked with museums, ok, not aviation but maritime, and I have my doubts that they did not know they should not just take it. It does sound a bit like its a case of "Its easier to ask forgiveness than permission".
I did deal with a case were a shipwreck that was not protected under Historic and Conservation acts was removed from a regional reserve. The museum owner had great intentions, and permission from the council. But the remains ended up rotting next to a barn on a farm, not a good outcome.
I have trouble believing it myself, but for now at least without actually being there I'll accept the benefit of the doubt for now that the DOC officials think they didn't realise. I certainly don't think it should be an excuse, however. Their actions seem to have been very poorly considered.
If they simply decided the wreckage was better off in their own organisation's keeping, were they planning to exhume the nearby bodies of the pilots, too?
..and Wairarapa Helicopters has had its permits suspended by DOC for operating in DOC's land:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/2256944/Helicopter-companys-permits-suspended
"Wairarapa Helicopters managing director Tim Williams initially told The Dominion Post that he knew nothing about removal of the plane's wreckage. However, DOC staff said he had since admitted that his helicopters were involved."
UPDATE:
from stuff.co.nz 21/4/09
Historic plane's parts to be returned to crash site
Last updated 07:36 21/04/2009 Share Print Text Size
The families of two air force pilots whose plane crashed in the Tararua Ranges 54 years ago have successfully lobbied to have parts of the wreckage returned to the site.
Last month, Wairarapa Helicopters and the New Zealand Sport and Vintage Aviation Society removed the engine from the wreck of the RNZAF Devon plane.
It was to have been put on display at the society's museum at Masterton's Hood aerodrome.
The Department of Conservation quickly suspended the helicopter's concessions to operate in department land until it was decided whether charges would be laid.
The final decision on the future of the plane's parts was left with the families of the pilots, who are buried close to the crash site.
"There was a pretty strong feeling that what is left of the plane wreckage remains intact on the hill," DOC area manager Chris Lester told The Dominion Post.
The engine is expected to be returned after the deer-mating season finishes on April 25 and Tararua Forest Park is reopened to commercial helicopter operators.
DOC has decided against pursuing any prosecution.
- NZPA
What where these two Thinking (if thinking at all !!)
Rescued boys 'lucky not to have died'
By KATHERINE NEWTON - The Dominion Post Last updated 05:00 25/05/2009
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Two "stupid" teenage boys who went missing in the Ruahine Range wearing shorts and light rainjackets were lucky not to have died, their rescuers say.
The 16-year-olds, from Ashhurst and Palmerston North, were hypothermic when a search and rescue team found them in waist-deep snow on Saturday night, one kilometre from Rangiwahia Hut, about 50km northeast of Feilding.
The boys had left on a day tramp to the hut at 9am on Saturday, but police were called at 4pm after one boy rang his father from a cellphone to say they had lost their way because of snow covering the track.
Severe wind and rain prevented rescuers using helicopters to search and a three-man team found them just before 9pm after going into the ranges on foot.
Sergeant Andy Brookes, a search and rescue team member, said it was fortunate the pair were tracked down so quickly.
"It's pretty certain that if we hadn't found them last night they would have died overnight. They're very lucky. Pretty stupid, too, actually."
The boys were wearing shorts and had only light rainjackets with them, search and rescue controller Kevin Dalzell said.
"Their equipment was lacking definitely inadequate for the conditions they were in.
"They had survival blankets, which is a very false sense of security they were absolutely useless, to say the least.
"We probably would have picked up bodies this morning."
Though the boys were found near the hut, the conditions would have made getting there hard going, Mr Dalzell said.
There were snow poles marking the track but they would have been difficult to see without lighting.
"They wouldn't have made it back there."
The teens stayed with rescuers in the hut overnight before walking back down Dead Man's Track on Sunday morning.
Mr Dalzell said he would talk to the pair later this week when they had recovered from their ordeal.
The boys and their families declined to comment.
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| On | 7 March 2009 |
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