Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

On 8 July 1993 a shunting locomotive collided with a pedestrian who was walking along the tracks. No specific safety issues have been identified from the circumstances of this accident.

On Thursday 3 February 2005, at about 0714, Train 829, a Christchurch to Greymouth express freight service, entered the limits of an authorised track occupation area at Phoenix Meat Company siding, Kokiri. The locomotive engineer became aware of the occupation only when he approached the siding to perform a scheduled shunt. One of the track maintenance personnel working at the site within the authorised area was alerted to the proximity of Train 829 when he contacted train control to seek an extension to the occupation. There were no injuries or equipment damage.

On 24 August 2012, the passenger fishing charter vessel Torea was taking a group of passengers on a fishing charter in the Foveaux Strait area. There were 24 passengers and 3 crew members on board. The Torea was only permitted to carry 20 passengers. The skipper was unaware that he had more than 20 passengers on board. While fishing for cod close to Seal Rocks in the area off Ruapuke Island, the Torea struck an uncharted rock as the skipper was increasing speed to move to another area.

[No TAIC report published. As this was an incident involving a NZ-registered aircraft over the territory of an overseas State, TAIC provided an accredited representative under ICAO Annex 13 and assisted with some local information. For a full report on the incident, refer to Australian Transportation Safety Bureau report 200205780 "In-flight uncontained engine failure and air turn-back, Boeing 767-219ER, ZK-NBC".]

The pilot was to fly the helicopter between two homesteads on a large property. Some two hours after his departure signals from an emergency location transmitter were received and the wreckage of the aircraft was located two hours later. The pilot lost his life in the accident. No cause was established for the accident.

[Investigation incorporated in report 04-123. Please refer to that report.]

[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.]

At approximately 1100 on Thursday, 27 April 2000, the Lyttelton shunt was operating in Woolston yard when wagon LPA 5218 loaded with scrap metal derailed due to the track condition. The wagon overturned and fell on the rail operator who had been riding on the shunt. His injuries were fatal. The safety issues identified included actioning of identified track gauge exceedances and the factors which contributed to the wagon overturning. Two safety recommendations were made to Tranz Rail Limited, to address these issues.

[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 Saturday 3 April 1999, Train 1613, the southbound Masterton to Wellington passenger service, departed from Featherston while a scout party and an adult passenger were still loading their gear into the van. Three scouts were left on the platform and a fourth scout and the adult travelled to Upper Hutt in the unlit van. The scouts were at risk as they either alighted from, or attempted to board, the moving train during departure. The guard was unaware of the scouts' presence in the van. The incident occurred due to a failure to ensure passenger safety prior to the departure of the train.

On Thursday 22 February 2007 at about 2200, the passenger vessel Cruise Cat collided with the outer starboard-hand light beacon at the entrance to the Waikato River at the northern end of Lake Taupo when returning from an evening dinner cruise with 90 passengers and 4 crew on board. After the skipper had checked the watertight integrity of the vessel and the passengers for injuries the Cruise Cat was returned to its berth at Taupo Marina where all the passengers were discharged without further incident.

On Thursday 9 June 2005 at about 2011, the passenger freight ferry "Santa Regina" was entering Cook Strait from the Tory Channel when the ship departed from the designated passage plan, coming close to grounding on the rocks and islets at East Head. Avoidance action taken by the Mate/Master, who had the con of the ship, prevented the ship grounding and brought it back onto the designated course. Safety issues identified included: • bridge resource management • training and use of modern retro-fitted bridge equipment.