Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

The Liberian-registered container ship Rena had left the New Zealand port of Napier at 1020 on 4 October 2011 and was bound for the New Zealand port of Tauranga. The master had given an estimated time of arrival at the Tauranga pilot station of 0300 the next day. The master calculated the estimated time of arrival by dividing the distance to go by the Rena's normal service speed. The calculation did not account for the unfavourable currents that normally prevailed down that stretch of coastline.

On 16 September 2011 an Air New Zealand Boeing 747-419, registered ZK-NBT (the aeroplane), was on approach to land at San Francisco when the crew was alerted by the crew of another aircraft that flames were coming from the number 4 engine. There was no indication on the flight deck of the condition. After an uneventful landing and shutdown, the local engineer inspected the engine in accordance with the published procedure. After some additional checking and engine running, he released the aeroplane back to service. The aeroplane completed a further 2 sectors without incident.

On 27 August 2011 the Jet Raider was making a trip from Auckland to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf with 5 crew and 316 passengers on board. At about 11:20 the starboard engine failed catastrophically when 2 engine connecting rods broke free of the crankshaft and were ejected through the engine casing.

At about 1013 on Thursday 25 August 2011, electric multiple unit metro passenger Train 6225 (the passenger train) was travelling southbound from Waikanae to Wellington when it nearly struck 2 track workers who were repairing the track in a protected work area between Paekakariki and North Junction.

On 11 May 2011 the nose landing gear of a Piper PA31-350 Navajo Chieftain (the aeroplane) jammed in a partially retracted position during a training flight at Nelson Aerodrome. The nose landing gear could not be extended again, and in the subsequent landing the aeroplane sustained substantial damage. Neither of the 2 pilots, the only persons on board, was injured.

The Monte Stello is a passenger and freight roll-on-roll-off ferry that was operating on the Cook Strait ferry service on short-term charter to Interislander, a business division of KiwiRail Limited. At about 0600 on 4 May 2011, the Monte Stello was making its entrance into Tory Channel via the eastern entrance. The bridge team comprised the master (acting as pilot), the third mate (acting as co-pilot), the helmsman, and the lookout.

On the morning of 27 April 2011, an instructor and a student pilot in a Robinson R22 helicopter departed from Wanaka Aerodrome on a cross-country training flight through part of the Southern Alps.

On Wednesday 13 April 2011, a loaded coal train was travelling through the Craigieburn-Staircase area on the Midland Line, en route from Ngakawau to Lyttelton. The coal train was travelling more slowly than usual because of infrastructure worksites in the area and because it had a problem with its dynamic brake operation.

On 9 February 2011 a Bombardier DHC-8-311 aeroplane (known as a "Q300" operated by Air Nelson Limited departed from Hamilton Aerodrome on a scheduled flight to Wellington Aerodrome. On board were 2 pilots, a flight attendant and 41 passengers.

On 20 January 2011, the pilot of a Bell 206L-3 LongRanger helicopter ditched the helicopter after experiencing a significant engine power reduction while in the cruise. The pilot did not have time to make an emergency radio call, but the accident was witnessed by people on shore. The pilot was not wearing a life jacket and spent more than 2 hours in the water before he was rescued. He suffered minor injuries only. The helicopter was not able to be recovered from the sea for about one week. The cause of the reported engine power reduction was not determined.

On Friday 14 January 2011, a train that was supposed to be stopped at Papakura was signalled to enter a section of track that another train had been authorised to enter from the opposite direction. A potential head-on collision was recognised by the person-in-charge of a nearby worksite and the situation was resolved before the second train entered the section.

On the afternoon of 8 January 2011, the passenger vessel Volendam was alongside in Lyttelton. Some of the crew were carrying out routine maintenance on one of the starboard lifeboats when at about 1400 the forward lifeboat fall wire parted and 2 crew members fell into the water; the lifeboat remained suspended by the aft lifeboat fall wire.