Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

On Tuesday 27 April 2004 at about 1605 hours, express freight Train 220 collided with the empty trailer of a fertiliser truck and trailer unit at a farm access level crossing between Maewa and Rangitawa on the North Island Main Trunk. The front bogie of the lead locomotive derailed and the truck and trailer unit was extensively damaged. One traction mast was knocked over and the overhead catenary brought down. The locomotive engineer and the truck driver both suffered minor injuries. The safety issues identified were: • the legal status of the level crossing

Summary of the incident On 28 November 2011 a track maintenance gang arrived at the Crown Road level crossing near Paerata to relocate an 11-tonne hi-rail excavator from there to Pukekohe Station Yard about 5 kilometres (km) away. A scheduled passenger train with 7 people on board was due to pass through the Crown Road level crossing on its way to Pukekohe. The train controller had authorised an unscheduled "training shuttle" train to proceed to Pukekohe several minutes ahead of the scheduled passenger train. The training shuttle looked just like the scheduled passenger train.

[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.]

This report relates to the possible in-flight incapacitation of the pilot of Rotec Rally 3, microlight aircraft ZK-WAC near Warkworth on 14 April 1991. The safety issues discussed are the maintenance of a minimum fabric strength on microlight aircraft and measures for improving the monitoring of microlight pilots' fitness to fly.

At about 1050 on Monday, 23 March 1998, a commercial jet boat carrying 14 passengers was transiting down the upper Dart River. While negotiating a right hand bend in the river, the driver reduced power as he turned the boat hard left around a rock in midstream. When he re-applied power the engine stalled. Without directional control the driver was unable to prevent the boat striking a large rock on the river bank. The passengers and the driver received minor to serious injuries in the accident. Seven passengers were evacuated by helicopter.

[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 Friday 18 0ctober 2002, at about 0515, 2 wagons on the rear of southbound express freight Train 215 derailed while negotiating a turnout as the train departed from the Hamilton container transfer depot. The derailed wagons were detached and the train continued its journey south, but at about 0750, as it entered Te Kuiti, 3 further wagons derailed as they crossed the north-end turnout. On Tuesday 25 March 2003, at about 0145, 12 wagons on northbound express freight Train 934 derailed while crossing the south-end turnout at Sawyers Bay.

On Friday 7 January 2005, at 1852, ZK-KFB, a Gulfstream G-IV, and ZK-FTR, a Piper PA 28, came into close proximity 10 nautical miles south of Taupo Aerodrome, during their instrument approaches to the aerodrome. On board ZK-KFB were 5 passengers, a flight attendant and 2 pilots. On board ZK-FTR were a passenger and the pilot.

On 30 March 2009 at 2340, a Fairchild SA227-AC Metroliner III air ambulance aeroplane, registered ZK-NSS, took off from Auckland International Airport on a night flight to New Plymouth Aerodrome to uplift a patient. On board were 2 pilots and a medical team of 3. The flight was without incident until the approach at New Plymouth. The pilots carried out a visual approach, although that was generally not permitted by the aeroplane

[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.]

[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 aircraft was on an approach when a yaw to the right occurred which was accompanied by a loud bang. The pilot lowered the collective and made an autorotation onto uneven ground. A laboratory inspection of the tail rotor components indicated that the tail rotor teeter bolt had failed in flight. As the bolt was lost the cause of the failure was not established.