Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

On Saturday 27 March 1999 at about 1435 hours ZK-EMV, a Fletcher FU24-954, had taken off from a grass airstrip on a routine sowing run, 5 km south-west of Riversdale in the Wairarapa, when it was observed to sink rapidly before hitting a fence. After hitting the fence the aircraft ballooned up and rolled, striking the ground inverted. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot died as a result of the second impact. No new safety issues were identified during the investigation.

A Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL aeroplane was being used for tandem skydiving from Taupō aerodrome. During the climb, a turbine blade in the single engine failed. The pilot put the aeroplane into a glide and all on board bailed out and landed without serious injury. With nobody on board, the aeroplane crashed into Lake Taupō and was destroyed.

At 1610 hours on Sunday 21 December 1997 a BAe 146 aircraft overtook a Fairchild Metro aircraft flying on the same track and at the same flight level, in controlled airspace. Both were on scheduled passenger flights. The estimated passing distance was 100 to 500 metres horizontally, and 20 to 150 feet vertically. Both aircraft were complying with their air traffic control clearances, and were under radar control. Neither of two radar controllers, in Auckland and Christchurch, had perceived the conflict between the aircraft. Safety issues identified are:

On Friday 24 August 2004 at about 1530, locomotive DBR1199 derailed while hauling a set of empty passenger cars into Britomart Station in Auckland. The passenger cars and second locomotive were not derailed. The derailment occurred when a tyre, which had worked loose from a wheel on DBR1199, struck the frog in a set of facing points and derailed all wheels of the trailing bogie. The safety issue identified was the susceptibility of tyred wheels to loosen due to excessive heat.

On 29 October 1994 at about 1000 hours, Aerospatiale AS 350B ZK-HWV collided with a valley side during a local scenic flight, killing all seven occupants. While no cause was established positively, it is probable the aircraft was flown into cloud inadvertently. A safety issue which prompted a safety recommendation to the Civil Aviation Authority was the absence of standards to guide pilots in setting height margins beneath cloud.

A landing accident involved Cessna R182, ZK-EKL, at Awaroa private airstrip on 9 January 1994. The safety issues discussed are the adequacy of the windsocks, the operator's information to pilots on wind conditions and the checking of pilots.

On Wednesday, 6 June 2001, at about 1841, express passenger Train 201 Overlander derailed when a wheel on the leading axle of the trailing bogie of the power van fractured as the train approached Otaihanga Road level crossing near Paraparaumu on the North Island Main Trunk. There were no injuries to train crew or passengers and damage was limited to the trailing bogie of the power van. The safety issue identified was the suitability of the wheel set for use in passenger rolling stock.

[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.]

Joy riding operations had been delayed by strong north west winds but after the wind had moderated some six flights were completed uneventfully. The operators normal pad was being resurfaced so the pilot was using a small paddock about 70 m square. The paddock was bounded to the west by 80 foot trees, with power wires to the east and south, and buildings and horses to the north. On the last departure the pilot was accelerating through 20 kts above the trees when a strong northerly gust was encountered which rolled the helicopter to the left and caused it to descend rapidly downwind.

Shortly after 1415 on Saturday 13 May 2006, while travelling from Kaihuka, in the Breaksea Islands Group to Bluff, the fishing vessel Kotuku capsized and later sank. Six of the 9 persons on board perished. The vessel was recovered for investigative purposes but was declared a constructive total loss by the insurance company. Safety issues identified were: the effectiveness of the safe ship management system to maintain vessel compliance the operation of a commercial fishing vessel to transport passengers the general condition and fitness for purpose of the Kotuku

[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 Wednesday 5 April 2000, at about 1945, the passenger charter launch "Kiwi Cruiser" was returning to Paihia from a fishing charter with 9 passengers and 3 crew on board, when it struck rocks off Tapeka Point. The vessel was holed at the bow and began taking water. As the "Kiwi Cruiser" began to list heavily and settle on the rocks the skipper transmitted a mayday call. The crew and passengers donned lifejackets and launched the rigid life raft before abandoning the vessel. They were subsequently picked up by a vessel that was responding to the mayday call and taken to Paihia.