As the US ATC expected Flight 901 to follow the same route as previous flights down McMurdo Sound, and in accordance with the route waypoints previously advised by Air New Zealand to them, the ATC advised Flight 901 that it had a radar that could let them down to 1,500 feet (460 m).
Como o ATC agardaba que o voo 901 seguise a mesma ruta que os anteriores voos por debaixo do estreito de McMurdo, e de acordo cos puntos de ruta que Air New Zealand lles indicara previamente, o ATC avisou o voo 901 de que tiña un radar que podía deixalos baixar ata os 1 500 pés (460 m).