Inquiries & Recommendations

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[Incorporated into Report 07-005] On 29 May 2007, a Saab SF340A aircraft that was holding on an angled taxiway at Auckland International Airport was inadvertently cleared to line up in front of a landing Raytheon 1900D. The aerodrome controller transmitted an amended clearance, but the transmission crossed with that of the Saab crew reading back the line-up clearance. The pilots of both aircraft took action to avoid a collision and stopped on the runway without any damage or injury.

Between March 2007 and October 2009 there were 5 derailments involving container wagons conveying single 6-metre (m) containers loaded with bulk grain, positioned on the leading ends of the wagons. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (the Commission) combined the events into a single inquiry.

The Commission was New Zealand's Accredited Representative to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's investigation into the above occurrence. Their report was published as Aviation Occurrence Investigation AO-2007-023. Using the link in the sidebar to the right.

[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.]

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigated this ocurrence on behalf of TAIC, and published their findings as which can be found using the link in the sidebar to the right.

At about 1330 on 21 June 2007, the specialised bulk iron sand carrier Taharoa Express left its single buoy mooring in Port Taharoa to seek refuge in Tasman Bay from forecast severe weather. The ship had been scheduled to have a slurry of about 116 000 dry tonnes of iron sand mixed with water pumped aboard. Earlier during the loading process the ship’s duct keel had flooded with water from the slurry-loading process, disabling the ship's ballast and cargo de-watering systems.

On Tuesday 19 June 2007 at about 1105, express freight Train MP2 was travelling between Huntly and Te Kauwhata when it struck a gantry crane from Work Train 22. Work Train 22 was stationary and was working on the adjacent Down Main line with its cranes fouling the Up Main line. The gantry swung around and struck one of the crane operators, knocking him from the wagon and under the passing train. The operator was fatally injured. The safety issues identified included: • the unfamiliarity of staff working in double-line territory

On Monday 18 June 2007 at 0812, ZK-EAK, a Hawker Beechcraft Corporation 1900D, was on approach to land at Wellington when the landing gear failed to lower. The 2-pilot crew completed a missed approach and further attempted to lower the landing gear by both normal and emergency means. The landing gear remained retracted, so the crew elected to divert to Woodbourne where a wheels-up landing was made. The aircraft sustained moderate damage consistent with a wheels-up landing. There was no injury to the crew or the 15 passengers.

On 29 May 2007, a Saab SF340A aircraft that was holding on an angled taxiway at Auckland International Airport was inadvertently cleared to line up in front of a landing Raytheon 1900D. The aerodrome controller transmitted an amended clearance, but the transmission crossed with that of the Saab crew reading back the line-up clearance. The pilots of both aircraft took action to avoid a collision and stopped on the runway without any damage or injury.

[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 12 May 2007, at 0400, northbound express freight Train 720 travelled past Seddon towards Vernon on the Main North Line without the authority of a track warrant issued from train control. The locomotive engineer did not stop on the main line at Seddon as required and obtain a new track warrant to travel beyond Seddon. Southbound Train 723 was sitting on the loop when Train 720 passed through Seddon. There were no other conflicting movements and as a result there was no damage or injury. Safety issues identified were:- • management of fatigue in train operations

On Thursday 3 May 2007 at about 2120, ZK-NGK, an Air New Zealand Boeing 737 319, en route from Wellington to Auckland, was landed at Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Base Ohakea as a precaution because of fumes in the cockpit from electrical burning. On board the aircraft were 121 passengers, 3 cabin crew and 2 pilots. Nobody was injured in the incident.