Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

On Monday 28 April 2008 at about 0633, the coastal bulk carrier Anatoki was approaching Tauranga Harbour when it collided with the bulk carrier Lodestar Forest, which was departing after disembarking its pilot. At the time of the collision both vessels were navigating in restricted visibility (fog) within the compulsory pilotage area for the Port of Tauranga. There were no injuries and only minor damage to both vessels that did not affect the watertight integrity of either.

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.

[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.]

Addendum to 96-009: The pilot-in-command of ZK-FMO submitted further information relating to this accident for consideration by the Commission. This information related to the effect of a misaligned contact breaker assembly arm in the dual magneto of the aircraft engine, the timing of amendments to the company operations manual, the interpretation of an instruction on the company's aircraft load sheet, the flap setting which he used for the take-off and the distribution of the load in the aircraft.

On Friday 16 November 2001, at about 0445, the yacht "Toolka-T" fouled the towline between the tug "Wainui" and barge "Sea-Tow 11" and was carried along the towline until it collided with the bow of the barge. The "Toolka-T" passed under the barge and sank as a result of the collision. The collision occurred off Takatu Point while the "Toolka-T" was southbound towards Gulf Harbour and the "Wainui" was northbound from Auckland to a sand excavation site north of Cape Rodney.

The pilot had sprayed the property, traversed by 110000 volt electrical power transmission lines, on many previous occasions. He experienced no problem during the first sortie in which the aircraft passed beneath the conductors at least six times. He then re-loaded, and made two further spray runs under the conductors. On the next run, after passing over a solitary tree, the pilot was obliged to lower the nose of the aircraft to fly beneath the conductors, prior to pulling up again beyond them to clear a stand of trees.

On the afternoon of 3 May 2010, the bulk log carrier TPC Wellington was loading logs in Port Marsden, Northland. When the chief officer entered a cargo hold that was full of logs that had been loaded at a previous port, he rapidly lost useful consciousness (lost the ability to hold on to the ladder) and fell from the ladder onto the cargo below.

On Thursday 21 October 1999 at about 1810, jet boat "Shotover 14" entered the first canyon on the Upper Shotover River with the driver and 9 passengers on board, travelling at about 65 km/h. While travelling close to the left side of the canyon a component in the steering system caught on a bracket, preventing the driver from steering to the right.

On Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at about 1430, a collision occurred between a rail-mounted excavator, operating as a hi-rail vehicle, and Train 688 at 216.5 km between Waipunga and Waikoau on the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line. The excavator was operating outside its authorised work area and beyond the agreed "check call" time with the train controller when the collision occurred. There were no injuries.

While the helicopter was being refuelled a bystander, who was the father of the two men conducting a spraying operation, walked into the aircraft's tail rotor and lost his life. The victim had been briefed on safety precautions and had observed them carefully but on this occasion he became distracted and walked into the danger area.

A loaded passenger train had perceived brake problems and halted soon after departure from Wellington Station. There were differences between track hardware, the signaller’s information screen, and mistaken impressions that resulted. With authorisation from the signaller, the train began to return to the station. Just then, the signaller saw that the returning train was heading into the path of an inbound train. The signaller called the driver, who stopped the train. No collision, nobody injured.

On Friday 3 October 2003 at 2126, Convair 580 ZK-KFU was on a scheduled night freight flight from Christchurch to Palmerston North, when it was observed on radar to enter a tightening left turn and disappear. Attempts to contact the aircraft were unsuccessful and a search for the aircraft was started. The aircraft had impacted the sea about 10 km north of Paraparaumu about vertically and at high speed. The crew of 2 was killed on impact.