Black box/CVR:
The black box and CVR that surfaced from the wreckage of the disaster, held valuable contents such as conversations between the pilots, and data about the planes height and altitude. The contents of the first transcript of the CVR (Cock pit voice recorder) are still hotly debated, as the original tape has been barred until 2049. Until then, speculation will continue. The conversations that occurred before the crash, showed the confusion of the pilots about their location, and emphasised the whiteout phenomenon, as they clearly couldn’t tell the difference between the ice and mountains. This was controversial for Chippindale’s stance in court, as he didn’t believe the “white out phenomenon’ existed and questioned whether it was one of the contributing factors to the crash, where he had blamed the crash on the pilots. Until Captain Gordon Vette conducted an investigation into the phenomenon it was a very risky move, which ended up costing him his career. Through his extensive research he developed three primary hypothesis' about the causes of the accident (In more detail in 'causes' section) in which he backed up Mahon's findings, angered by Chippendale and Air New Zealand, whose cause of the accident was pilot error. This was controversial as later on in the investigation it appeared that Muldoon had attempted to protect Air New Zealand, whom had been supposedly lying to investigators through the extensive investigations, and misleading the public into believing false information. This was surprising that a large company would be participating in this kind of activity, and a national airline whom is successful and should be professional was acting the complete opposite.
The black box and CVR that surfaced from the wreckage of the disaster, held valuable contents such as conversations between the pilots, and data about the planes height and altitude. The contents of the first transcript of the CVR (Cock pit voice recorder) are still hotly debated, as the original tape has been barred until 2049. Until then, speculation will continue. The conversations that occurred before the crash, showed the confusion of the pilots about their location, and emphasised the whiteout phenomenon, as they clearly couldn’t tell the difference between the ice and mountains. This was controversial for Chippindale’s stance in court, as he didn’t believe the “white out phenomenon’ existed and questioned whether it was one of the contributing factors to the crash, where he had blamed the crash on the pilots. Until Captain Gordon Vette conducted an investigation into the phenomenon it was a very risky move, which ended up costing him his career. Through his extensive research he developed three primary hypothesis' about the causes of the accident (In more detail in 'causes' section) in which he backed up Mahon's findings, angered by Chippendale and Air New Zealand, whose cause of the accident was pilot error. This was controversial as later on in the investigation it appeared that Muldoon had attempted to protect Air New Zealand, whom had been supposedly lying to investigators through the extensive investigations, and misleading the public into believing false information. This was surprising that a large company would be participating in this kind of activity, and a national airline whom is successful and should be professional was acting the complete opposite.
Robert Muldoon:
After the investigation was concluded and Chippindale’s case was granted and Mahon’s dismissed, later on the public would later come to believe that Robert Muldoon (the Prime Minister of New Zealand at that current time) had attempted to protect Air New Zealand in fears of damaging the national reputation. The New Zealand government was also proposing to privatise aspects of Air New Zealand, and they didn’t want to jeopardise this. Air New Zealand were also attending Advisory meetings to discredit The Royal Commission of Inquiry which blamed Air New Zealand, and this created controversy as this should have never happened as the company was the organisation that was under scrutiny by the company. This was just one of the many secretive times where Air New Zealand would try to make their defence better behind closed doors, to ensure the outcome was in their favour. This behaviour was not easily accepted by the nation, and a supposedly professional company was letting their good reputation decrease rapidly, and they continuously were making bad moves in the face of the public, which wasn't easily accepted.
Peter Mahon:
When Mahon first accused Air New Zealand of leading the inquiry through an “orchestrated litany of lies” this was controversial as this was past his presented guidelines of him leading the “Civil Aviation Report”. Accusing such a large company of criminal activity did not sit well with the likes of the Prime Minister at the time Robert Muldoon, and the Air New Zealand company, and they fought back immediately, trying desperately not to diminish their reputation, which this had the power to do. Mahon caught Air New Zealand off guard and outed them to the nation, scrutinising their actions they had taken during the investigation, causing speculation and attention toward the matter and accusing them of lying to investigators and covering up evidence. Because of this statement however Mahon received a lot of backlash, and retired from the bench in 1982.
After the investigation was concluded and Chippindale’s case was granted and Mahon’s dismissed, later on the public would later come to believe that Robert Muldoon (the Prime Minister of New Zealand at that current time) had attempted to protect Air New Zealand in fears of damaging the national reputation. The New Zealand government was also proposing to privatise aspects of Air New Zealand, and they didn’t want to jeopardise this. Air New Zealand were also attending Advisory meetings to discredit The Royal Commission of Inquiry which blamed Air New Zealand, and this created controversy as this should have never happened as the company was the organisation that was under scrutiny by the company. This was just one of the many secretive times where Air New Zealand would try to make their defence better behind closed doors, to ensure the outcome was in their favour. This behaviour was not easily accepted by the nation, and a supposedly professional company was letting their good reputation decrease rapidly, and they continuously were making bad moves in the face of the public, which wasn't easily accepted.
Peter Mahon:
When Mahon first accused Air New Zealand of leading the inquiry through an “orchestrated litany of lies” this was controversial as this was past his presented guidelines of him leading the “Civil Aviation Report”. Accusing such a large company of criminal activity did not sit well with the likes of the Prime Minister at the time Robert Muldoon, and the Air New Zealand company, and they fought back immediately, trying desperately not to diminish their reputation, which this had the power to do. Mahon caught Air New Zealand off guard and outed them to the nation, scrutinising their actions they had taken during the investigation, causing speculation and attention toward the matter and accusing them of lying to investigators and covering up evidence. Because of this statement however Mahon received a lot of backlash, and retired from the bench in 1982.