Let tears fall

Swimming with Sharks Chapter 3.1

On the night of 27 April 1978, a group of Sāmoans got off their Air New Zealand flight at American Sāmoa and boarded a twin engine Cessna 402, flown by South Pacific Island Airways, for the connection through to Sāmoa’s Faleolo, at the western end of ‘Upolu. 

Pilot Rick Jensen, a former pianist in Tom Jones’ backing band, took off into a clear and calm night. Among his nine passengers were two overstayers deported for home, a year old baby and four family members including a pastor heading to see their dying father, Nonoa.  

At 1828 metres, Jensen descended into Faleolo and flew into the side of Mt Fito, at 1158 metres, ‘Upulo’s highest point. All aboard died instantly.

Crash site. Photo Michael Field

The next morning police came into my office and said I should go with them to photograph the wreck. That day I tramped up razorback ridges and through jungle without seeing anything. When I got back, officials said they had found the wreckage. Two small helicopters from tuna boats had spotted the wreck, nearly inaccessible.

The RNZAF arrived with an Iroquois helicopter and the bodies came off the mountain. As the air force went home at the National Hospital, they opened body bags. 

The pastor’s body was missing.