Air New Zealand Flight 901

Air New Zealand Flight 901 was a nonstop sightseeing flight from Auckland International Airport in New Zealand to Antarctica and return.

On November 28, 1979, the DC-10 on Flight 901 crashed into Mount Erebus, Antarctica killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew members on board.

The official accident report attributed the disaster to the decision of the captain to descend to a height below the approved level, and continuing at that height when the crew was not sure of the plane's position. However, the New Zealand Government had also announced a one-man Royal Commission of Inquiry into the accident and on 27 April, 1981, Justice Peter Mahon released his report.

The report cleared the crew of blame for the disaster. Justice Mahon said the single, dominant and effective cause was the changing of the aircraft's navigation computer co-ordinates to route the aircraft directly at Mount Erebus, without the crew being advised. The new flight plan took the aircraft directly at the mountain, rather than along its flank. Due to whiteout conditions, the flight crew was unable to identify the mountain until it was too late .

Justice Mahon also accused airline executives of cover-up, disposal of evidence and subterfuge, famously using the phrase "orchestrated litany of lies". In relation to those allegations, the Privy Council subsequently found that Justice Mahon, as Royal Commissioner, had acted in excess of his jurisdiction and contrary to natural justice. Justice Mahon's findings relating to those matters were overturned by the council, but his major findings were not upset.