Inquiries & Recommendations

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On Wednesday 5 April 2000, at about 1945, the passenger charter launch "Kiwi Cruiser" was returning to Paihia from a fishing charter with 9 passengers and 3 crew on board, when it struck rocks off Tapeka Point. The vessel was holed at the bow and began taking water. As the "Kiwi Cruiser" began to list heavily and settle on the rocks the skipper transmitted a mayday call. The crew and passengers donned lifejackets and launched the rigid life raft before abandoning the vessel. They were subsequently picked up by a vessel that was responding to the mayday call and taken to Paihia.

On Tuesday 28 March 2000 at 1014 hours, ZK-HJN, a Hughes 369FF helicopter, was on a charter flight from Te Anau Aerodrome to West Arm, Lake Manapouri. Approaching to land, the helicopter struck a power line and impacted the ground heavily. The pilot and 4 passengers on board died in the accident and the helicopter was destroyed. Safety issues identified were the criteria for the marking of wires and overhead structures, and the requirement to expedite amendments to Civil Aviation Rules for wire marking. Safety recommendations were made to the Director of Civil Aviation.

On Friday 24 March 2000 at 1019 hours, ZK-FPL, a Piper PA31T3-T1040, landed on runway 18 at Taupo Aerodrome with its undercarriage retracted. The 10 passengers and the pilot on board the aircraft were not injured.

On Wednesday, 15 March 2000, at approximately 1928 hours, Train 2139, a diesel multiple unit passenger service, suffered a partial brake failure while descending the grade from Newmarket to Auckland. A permanent 25 km/h speed restriction on curved track approaching the station was negotiated at about 45 km/h before the service came to a stop some 40 m past its normal stopping place. The partial brake failure was caused by a combination of a broken air pipe and a seized air valve.

On 10 March 2000 at about 2000, the passenger vessel "Sweet Georgia" was on a charter cruise in Wellington Harbour when a fire started in the engine room. The fire was contained by the actions of the skipper but the control cables for the engine were damaged, causing the engine to slowly manoeuvre astern. Other vessels in the vicinity were able to evacuate the 58 passengers and 4 crew without injury. The skipper remained aboard the "Sweet Georgia". The astern movement of the vessel caused it to ground on reclaimed land, where the fire service boarded and extinguished the fire.

On Thursday 9 March 2000 at about 1750 the stern trawler "Seafresh 1", with 18 crew on board, was steaming about 20 nautical miles north of the Chatham Islands when fire broke out in the switchboard. The engine-room was sealed off and the fire smothered itself. The crew were able to re-enter the engine-room about 6 hours later. There was no electrical or engine power available. While waiting for a tow, the crew discovered water on the factory deck. The crew were eventually able to locate and seal off the ingress and bail out the deck.

On Tuesday 7 March 2000, Aerospatiale AS 350BA helicopter ZK-HWK was on a local charter flight from Raglan to Mount Karioi, carrying technicians to service telecommunications equipment located on the summit. It was being flown in conditions of reduced visibility resulting from local cloud when it collided with trees and the ground, killing all 4 occupants. The time of the accident and the detail of the flight path could not be conclusively established, but the pilot may have inadvertently lost visual reference with the surface in deteriorating visibility.

At about 2000 on Wednesday 23 February 2000, Train 228, a Wellington to Auckland express freight service, passed a signal at Stop and entered Plimmerton station limits. An electric multiple unit, which had been running ahead of Train 228 and terminated at Plimmerton, was standing at the platform on the up main line ready to depart on its return journey to Wellington. Train 228 stopped about 180 metres short of colliding with the electric multiple unit. Six safety issues were identified: • the visibility of signals at authorised line speed

[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.]

[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 17 December 1999, an incident occurred near Greymouth where a locomotive engineer was given permission by train control for his train to enter a section of track already occupied by a hi-rail vehicle. The driver of the hi-rail vehicle saw the train and was able to off-track in time to avert a collision.

On Saturday 18 December 1999 at about 1524 hours, ZK-HYE, a Hughes 269C helicopter, was on a private local scenic flight about 3 nautical miles north of Kawerau. Approaching to land, the helicopter struck a power line and impacted the ground nearly inverted. The pilot and 2 passengers died as a result of the accident and the resulting fire destroyed most of the helicopter. No new safety issues were identified during the investigation.