PALMERSTON NORTH - The man in charge of the police investigation of the fatal crash of Ansett Flight 703 wants to close the books on the case by the end of the year.
"It's now four years and in fairness to all parties involved, a final decision must be made," Detective
Inspector Doug Brew said yesterday.
"The delay is a big concern - and I do not hold us responsible for that."
Mr Brew said the pilot in command, Gary Sotheran, had been advised in January that he might be prosecuted for manslaughter.
"It had been hoped that by now we would be in a position to finalise that indication.
"Since then, through no fault of our own and because of problems in getting information, there has been further delay."
He said technical and other information had been withheld or delayed in New Zealand and overseas.
The matters now at issue lay mainly overseas.
He would not specify what the information was or who it was being sought from.
It is understood time factors, particularly the period Mr Sotheran has been under suspension from his normal passenger flights and the period since the initial advice that prosecution was being considered, could be the subject of legal argument before any prosecution got to court.
Four people died after the Dash-8 aircraft crashed into a hill in thick fog on June 9, 1995, while on its approach to Palmerston North airport.
An air accident report found the pilots were distracted by trying to lower landing gear, and that a faulty ground-proximity warning indicator failed to activate in time.
Eighteen people, including Mr Sotheran and first officer Barry Brown, survived.
A group of passengers is suing Ansett for damages, alleging negligence. - NZPA
