Inquiries & Recommendations

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On Tuesday, 17 November 1998, at approximately 1040 hours Train 700, the northbound Coastal Pacific passenger express, was travelling through Hapuku when dragging brake gear on a high speed goods wagon at the head of the train struck and damaged the main line turnouts. The train continued for a further 26 km before the locomotive engineer noted track ballast being thrown up by the dragging brake gear and stopped the train.

Revised investigation 94-117: On Saturday 2 July 1994 at approximately 1025 hours, a child fell from the gangway between a carriage and the end platform of the power van on New Zealand Rail Limited's "Coastal Pacific" express near Hundalee when a handrail dislodged. The child was seriously injured.

On Monday 4 December 1995 at approximately 2010 hours a shooter fell from a Robinson R22 helicopter, ZK-HDD, during an airborne deer hunting operation 18 km north of Karamea, and sustained fatal injuries. The probable cause of the accident was the opening of the karabiner used on the shooter's harness arrangement, by equipment or clothing, thereby causing him to become unrestrained in the helicopter. The safety issue identified is the need to have a restraint system which incorporates safety features to guard against inadvertent release.

The aircraft was flying from Hamilton to Napier at night in instrument meteorological conditions, and had commenced an instrument approach procedure for Napier. The aircraft collided with a hill. The pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries in the accident.

A Robinson Helicopter Company R22 helicopter was being used to transfer two passengers from Karamea to a remote landing spot in Kahurangi National Park, from where the passengers were to go hunting. On the return flight to Karamea the pilot experienced a vibration and heard an associated noise. During the landing sequence at Karamea, the helicopter broke up in the air and struck the ground. The helicopter was destroyed. Pilot survived, seriously injured.

TAIC report presents rail safety issues with working practices, engineering protections, and safety guidelines - factors that contributed to unintended shunt movement, in Picton. A remote-controlled shunt loco and wagon moved off the end of the quay-to-ferry rail linkspan and into the harbour.

The crash of this AS350 helicopter on Fox Glacier took the lives of seven people. Issues: Operator’s pilot training system did not fully comply with Civil Aviation rules, did not adequately prepare pilot; and managerial oversight. Lack of intervention allowed operator to continue operating. New TAIC recommendation addresses potential that other operators at that time could have significant non-compliances that were not identified or not resolved.

The Seabourn Encore was berthed at PrimePort Timaru. In strong south westerly winds, a number of wharf mooring bollards and ship mooring lines progressively failed allowing the ship to swing off the berth and collided with a nearby cement carrier. Nobody harmed, but some damage to wharf infrastructure and both ships. Final Report addresses matters concerning mooring equipment; mooring procedures; and planning for, and responding to, a change in the weather. Recommendations apply both locally and nationwide to all ports in New Zealand.

On 24 July 2023, the fully loaded Achilles Bulker was departing the Port of Tauranga under pilotage when it began unexpectedly swinging to port after clearing the harbour entrance. As the bridge team attempted to correct the course, the ship’s rudder detached, causing it to drift out of the channel into shallow water. The pilots and crew managed to bring the vessel to a stop using both anchors, narrowly avoiding grounding.

An Airbus A320 inadvertently flew below minimum safe height on approach to Christchurch Airport. It landed safely. Lesson: properly used automated flight navigation systems will reduce crew workload and result in safer flight operations. Crew chose not to use auto, did not stay aware of their location compared to standard arrival route, and air traffic controller did not alert the flight crew.

The aircraft was returning to Gore Aerodrome from a private airstrip. A local farmer observed the aircraft pass over the property about 400 feet above ground level, in normal cruising flight. Shortly afterwards it rolled to the left and entered a steep dive from which it was not recovered. The two occupants received fatal injuries in the ensuing ground impact.

The aircraft was making an approach to the airstrip when it was observed to oscillate in pitch. The left wing failed and the aircraft dived into the ground, fatally injuring the pilot.