Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is an independent Crown entity established to determine the circumstances and causes of accidents and incidents with a view to avoiding similar occurrences in the future. Accordingly it is inappropriate that reports should be used to assign fault or blame or determine liability, since neither the investigation nor the reporting process has been undertaken for that purpose.

New Zealand has completed its support for this inquiry. Please note: TAIC will not be producing a report for this inquiry.

ZK-EMZ was engaged in spraying a potato crop. Towards the completion of the task ZK-EMZ dived into the ground during a turn. The pilot received fatal injuries in the accident.

At about 1200 hours on Tuesday 2 January 1996 the pilot commenced a take-off on vector 29 at Wanaka Aerodrome, in Mark 14 Spitfire ZK-XIV. During the take-off the aircraft swung to the right, diverged from the grass vector, and became airborne but the tail caught the aerodrome boundary fence. The aircraft rolled to the right and struck the ground inverted. The pilot was seriously injured in the accident.

On Saturday 4 December 2004, a Tranz Metro electric multiple unit passenger train travelling from Wellington to Paraparaumu became disabled between Kaiwharawhara Station and Tunnel 1 when the traction overhead contact wire failed due to tensile overload. The failure was brought about by a combination of poor eletrical contact between the contact wire and stirrup clamping plates, and a build-up of corrosion products.

On Saturday 20 January 1996 at about 0730 hours, Robinson R22 Beta helicopter ZK-HVX collided with trees and terrain during a private venison hunting flight. The shooter was killed, and the pilot was seriously injured. No safety recommendations were made. A safety issue was identified relating to the suitability of this type of helicopter for this operation. Factors in this accident were mishandling of the helicopter, or misjudgement by the pilot while manoeuvring close to the top of the trees.

On Wednesday 1 August 2012, a southbound freight train was travelling from Picton to Christchurch. At the same time a northbound freight train was travelling from Christchurch to Picton. The train controller had planned to cross the trains at the Pines track warrant station.

New Zealand has completed its support under Annex 13 . The ARAIB continues its investigation. For further information please contact ARAIB using the link in the sidebar to the right. Please note: TAIC will not be producing a report for this inquiry.

On Sunday 13 April 2008 at about 1910, the fishing charter vessel Pursuit was lying to its anchor on the south-western side of Murimotu Island, North Cape when it grounded on rocks close to its anchored position. The Pursuit had 5 passengers and 2 crew on board. The New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre and Police mounted a rescue operation using the Northland Emergency Services Trust helicopter but the helicopter was unable to winch anyone to safety owing to the weather conditions.. The vessel was subsequently towed off the rocks by another vessel.

TAIC recommends law change to ban substandard ships from NZ. Commission’s final report on container ship Shiling finds the ship twice needed to be rescued and towed back to port in 2023, due to deferred maintenance. The Shiling had a history of deficiencies, both prior to a change of ownership in 2020 and after. TAIC found it is virtually certain the ship was unseaworthy when in NZ, despite holding valid certificates. TAIC also recommends closing gaps in international ship safety management systems and strengthening NZ’s salvage and rescue capability.

On 30 September 2010 a Bombardier DHC-8-311 aeroplane (often referred to as a Q300 or Dash 8) departed from Wellington International Airport on a scheduled flight to Nelson Aerodrome. The aeroplane diverted to Woodbourne Aerodrome (Blenheim) because of poor weather at Nelson. There were 2 pilots, one flight attendant and 43 passengers on board.

At about 1435 on 7 December 2022, a train collided with a truck and trailer at the Fertilizer Road level crossing near Whangārei. The impact derailed the train’s refuge wagon and toppled the trailer, injuring the rail operator, while the locomotive engineer and the truck’s occupants were unhurt.