Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

After touchdown at the conclusion of an evening scenic flight the aircraft veered off the private strip. The pilot was unable to regain directional control and the aircraft ground-looped, coming to rest in an adjacent ditch. The cause was not established. Unexpected deflation of the right main wheel tyre, or the effect of an isolated wind gust, were the most likely possibilities.

On 21 December 1993 Train 573 struck and a pedestrian near Marton. The safety issue identified by this investigation was the lack of warning signs against trespassing over two rail bridges and along the track in the area of this accident.

A Bantam B22 microlight aircraft ZK-FWC lost control over Matakana Island on 19 December 1993. The safety issue identified was the risk of flying a limit manoeuvre in a microlight aircraft in moderate turbulence.

Bantam B22 microlight aircraft ZK-JAS underwent an uncontrolled descent and collision with the ground near the Rotorua Microlight Club airstrip at Mead Road, near Rotorua, on 12 December 1993. Safety issues included the hazard of reduced performance due to excess load, high density altitude, and sink encountered after take-off, and potential for stall onset during a turn at low airspeed.

On 10 December 1993 express freight train 210 encountered a "stop and proceed" signal at Stop at Puhinui, 1.5 km south of Papatoetoe. In accordance with the signalling rules, the Locomotive Engineer stopped, and after a short interval, proceeded. He subsequently had to make an emergency brake application to avoid a collision with a stationary train ahead of him. The safety issues identified in this report were the need for guidelines for Locomotive Engineers to assess their fitness for duty and rest facilities for Locomotive Engineers while waiting for trains.

On 8 December 1993 a shunting locomotive collided with a car on the Stanley Road level crossing, Gisborne, fatally injuring the motorist. The safety issue identified in the investigation was the risk to railway shunting staff of riding on the footplates of locomotives while crossing over public roads. A recommendation that event recorders should be fitted to shunting locomotives which travel on main lines or over public level crossings is also made.

On 6 December 1993 an express freight train operated by New Zealand Rail Limited derailed when it entered a crossover at the south end of Te Kauwhata while travelling too fast. The locomotive and all twelve wagons in the train were derailed, with substantial damage to all vehicles and the track. The Locomotive Engineer had encountered a signal he did not expect, interpreted it wrongly, and failed to slow the train for passage through the crossover.

A AS 355 helicopter with a PA 28 aeroplane, both on Police patrol flights over Auckland City, collided on 26 November 1993. Safety issues discussed include the limitations of the "see and avoid" concept of collision avoidance, the use of radio contact between aircraft and the variety of radio frequencies in use.

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]

On 18 November 1993 an intoxicated person lying close beside the track was struck and killed by a freight train. It is probable that the person fell from the station platform. No issues of public safety are raised in this report.

Two persons fell while being winched in from the ship "Pacific Ariki", by a hoist installed in Bell 212 helicopter ZK-HNO on 14 November 1993. The ship was at sea 2nm west of Oaonui.

On 13 November 1993 weather conditions were deteriorating rapidly at the snow landing site, and the pilot was hover-taxiing ZK-HGO to return to his original landing position when the helicopter became involved in cloud. The pilot landed immediately but the helicopter was drifting sideways at touchdown and rolled over.