Kristine Colley reflects on her father, Russell Morrison Scott, 38, Purser, Auckland, on Flight TE901.
We were a tight knit family of four with lots of fun and laughter – that all stopped after Dad's death. He was the life and soul of any party. He was one of those guys with an outgoing personality who loved people and people loved him. Dad was only 38 when he died. Far too young for a guy who had so much living to do.
Dad, used to be a travel agent before joining Air New Zealand as a purser. His brother, Don, was also Air New Zealand cabin crew. Dad enjoyed his role with Air New Zealand, commenting that instead of sending others away overseas now he was the one travelling. Travel back then was considered very glamorous. With his passion for travel, a role as a cabin crew member was perfect for him.
Flight TE901 was Dad’s third Antarctic flight with Air New Zealand. He had returned from a flight just the week before. We were so proud of him as we understood the crew were handpicked for these flights. He was the perfect person for this job.
Mum (Ailsa Scott) was 35, far too young to be left widowed with two children. My brother Mark was 16 and in the 5th form at school. He was about to sit his School Certificate exams. I was 12.
Dad was our whole world and our world as we knew it was shattered. As a family we never recovered. Many family and friends didn't know how to cope with our/their grief. We were left to cope as best as we could. We would think we were doing ok and coping the best we could. I guess that was when we were in control of things, but we would get a sucker punch at times when we least expected it. For example, Mum would go into the drycleaners and see crew uniforms hanging waiting to be collected. The 1970s were so different to today. If an event like this occurred today, we would not have been kept in the shadows and would have received support. There was a government cover up with no support to us as a family.
Mum had to sell the family home that we had recently moved into as she couldn't afford to pay the mortgage without Dad's income. This was a two story, three-bedroom home, with a spiral staircase that both Dad and I would slide down. Eeekkk. A bit dangerous when I think about it now but so much fun at the time!
We felt devastated for the family of Jim Collins, the pilot. The government was pushing heavily for pilot error as the cause of the accident. Captain Collins was one of Air New Zealand's most experienced pilots. He did a lot of planning prior to the flight, tracking his course. An employee of the airline had entered incorrect coordinates into the aircraft tracking system, sending the aircraft on a collision course with Mt Erebus. Air New Zealand management and the government did their best to discredit Captain Collins. After the event the airline destroyed vital pieces of information that would have helped exonerate Captain Collins. Thankfully Justice Mahon, who led the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the accident, and Greg Gilpin, one of the police officers involved in Operation Overdue, were prepared to stand up for the truth when they knew that evidence had been tampered with and lies were being told. The poor Collins family were dealing with all of this along with their grief of losing a husband and father.
As a 12-year-old girl I was having to cope with prank telephone calls from some very disturbed adults on the end of the line as well as pretty nasty teasing at school.
Dad used to buy Golden Kiwi tickets. Once he started flying to Antarctica, he changed his non de plume to Ice Flyer. I still have three of those tickets in my possession.
The memory on this page is in the writer's own words and does not necessarily reflect the views of Manatū Taonga.
Images and text are not to be reused without permission.
Read more memories like this: Reflections on Erebus series.
See also, passengers and crew from Flight TE901 (Manatū Taonga)
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