Pegasus crash site visit

A Delta

For entertainment last night (Saturday night) I and a couple colleagues signed up to go on a trip to visit the site of a plane crash in 1970 out at the Pegasus runway.  It required 14 miles (one hour) of shoulder to shoulder bouncy travel in a Delta to get there. We spent about an hour exploring the wreck -- or rather, what was still visible above the snow -- climbing all over it in the process.  Lots of pictures and goofing off later, we all got back in the Delta and returned to McMurdo.

The Pegasus crash site. The tail fin is visible.

You will be happy to know that no one was hurt in the crash. In those old days, a flight from Christchurch took 10 hours, and the weather had taken a turn for the worse by the time that plane arrived. They were short on fuel, couldn't see the runway, and had strong, gusty winds.  The pilot took a last pass, had everyone buckle their seatbelt, and hoped for the best. Fortunately, he missed the few structures near the runway, and glided to a halt, although he dipped a wing during the glide, which sheared off, spinning the plane around.  The most dangerous part was then the three hour wait in frigid temperatures before getting rescued. The rescuers couldn't find the plane, the weather was so bad, and the subzero temps were starting to take their toll on the crash victims.  Fortunately, there was story book ending, with a complete rescue.

Planking the plane. Yes, that's me.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

Today, when a plane gets to the halfway point between Christchurch and McMurdo, a critical look is taken at the McMurdo weather, and if it looks like it is worsening, the plane will "boomerang" -- go back to Christchurch.  This is much to the dismay of the passengers, who spend as much time on the plane as it takes to get to McMurdo in the aborted attempt only to have to do it again the next day.