Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

After flying over the top of Mt Mantell at a height of about 5500 feet, the pilot descended close to the mountainside intending to fly alongside a rugged rock face at an elevation of approx 4000 feet. At the bottom of the descent, he raised the collective lever to level out and heard the engine rpm increase abnormally. The pilot landed without delay. The helicopter rolled onto its left side on the rough sloping terrain.

At approximately 1140 hours on Friday, 21 May 1999, northbound Train 902 operating as the Southerner passenger express overran its track warrant limit by approximately 2 km between Mosgiel and Wingatui on the main south line. The overrun occurred when the locomotive engineer was possibly distracted by other events after planning a track warrant renewal for a location which differed from the normal pattern.

On 2 July 2015 the container ship Madinah was preparing for arrival at the port of Lyttelton. Part of those preparations involved the bosun (deck crew foreman) and a deck trainee rigging the port-side accommodation ladder over the ship's side in readiness for the ship's docking.

At the request of the Kiribati Government, New Zealand provided a team to assist the Kiribati Government in its investigations into the sinking of the MV Butiraoi. The investigation team was seconded from TAIC to the Kiribati Government. The investigation was completed and a report provided to the Kiribati Government.

During an annual proficiency assessment, an air traffic controller lost situational awareness and a series of four incidents occurred, forcing the assessor to resolve the situation. There were no collisions and nobody was injured. Since then, the controller has passed annual proficiency tests; controllers reportedly benefit from mentoring and working together better; and ATC managers now have more time to focus on team and operational standards. TAIC made recommendations to resolve issues with air traffic congestion and controllers providing excessive traffic information.

On Friday, 16 April 2004, at about 1725, smoke was observed coming from beneath Train 2146 as it departed Newmarket. The train stopped at the next station, Boston Road. The passengers were evacuated and the fire was extinguished with the assistance of the New Zealand Fire Service. There were no injuries. The safety issues identified were: - the fittings connecting the oil inlet hose to the engine and the turbocharger - the shroud panels surrounding the auxiliary engine. One safety recommendation was made to the Chief Executive of Auckland Regional Transport Authority

On Wednesday 19 May 2004 at about 0117, the fishing vessel "Joanne" collided with the tanker "Hellas Constellation" in the approach channel to the Port of Tauranga. The "Joanne", with 2 people on board, was returning from fishing grounds in Bay of Plenty. The "Hellas Constellation", with a full cargo of automotive gas oil, was entering the Port of Tauranga under pilotage. There were no injuries. The "Joanne" suffered minor damage to the bow only. The "Hellas Constellation’s" hull plating and framing were set in, but not ruptured, and there was no spillage of its cargo of oil.

On Wednesday 21 March 2007, passenger express Train 200 collided with the rear of stationary passenger express Train 201 during a planned setback manoeuvre at National Park when radio communication failed. One passenger travelling in the rear passenger carriage on Train 200 received a minor injury. The buffer at the rear of the train was damaged.

On Saturday 18 December 2004, at about 1510 the restricted limit passenger vessel "Tiger III," while on a cruise to the Hole in the Rock with 59 passengers and 3 crew on board, grounded in the small bay under the Cape Brett lighthouse. The boat was pushed into a narrow gut and came to rest alongside the rocks on the shore. All the passengers were able to get ashore and congregated at the old lighthouse keeper’s cottage, from where they were flown by a fleet of helicopters back to Paihia. No major injuries were sustained.

[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 2 May 2008, the Bluebridge passenger and freight ferry Monte Stello was transiting Tory Channel in Marlborough Sounds en route from Picton to Wellington when it suffered an electrical power failure, resulting in a loss of both propulsion engines. The emergency power system started automatically and supplied power to critical systems. The ship was brought up to its starboard anchor about 250 m from the shore line.

On 26 January 1994, ZK-EQS, a PA28 aircraft on a local scenic flight from Franz Josef, suffered a sudden loss of engine power shortly after take-off. The aircraft was substantially damaged in the ensuing forced landing, but none of the four occupants was injured. The cause of the engine failure could not be determined conclusively.