Inquiries & Recommendations

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On Saturday 2 October 2004, at about 1015, an exhaust outlet at the top of a bulldozer being conveyed on a road trailer collided with the underside and damaged rail over road bridge No.98, located at 117.95 km on the Wairarapa Line, about 9 km south of Eketahuna. A nearby farmer who had heard the collision reported details of the damage to train control. The person sent to inspect the damaged bridge inadvertently inspected 2 undamaged bridges located nearby before informing train control the track was safe and clear for traffic.

[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 Bantam B22 microlight aircraft ZK-FWC lost control over Matakana Island on 19 December 1993. The safety issue identified was the risk of flying a limit manoeuvre in a microlight aircraft in moderate turbulence.

On the evening of Thursday 23 July 2009, the Wellington region was experiencing a storm that brought heavy rain and strong winds. At 1817, a scheduled commuter train travelling from Wellington to Masterton with approximately 240 passengers and crew in 5 carriages, collided with a slip that partially blocked the northern portal of Tunnel 1 on the Wairarapa Line. This point was about 4 km north of Upper Hutt station and about 1 km before the Maymorn station.

On Wednesday 28 July 2004 at about 1320, during a wrong line running operation, Train 3358 a Tranz Metro Papakura to Britomart diesel multiple unit passenger train passed Signal 8B at Tamaki, at Stop, without verbal authority. The train continued on the Down main towards Britomart Station without the required Track and Time Permit. There was no conflicting movement approaching Train 3358. Safety issues identified included: - training regime for locomotive engineers multiple units - the identification in the field of the start point for wrong line running

At a height of 40 feet on the approach the pilot detected a wind shift and as he banked the aircraft to compensate for this the rudder control cable broke near the control column. The rudder, which is controlled by the control column, deflected hard right and the aircraft banked steeply to the right at which time the aircraft collided with the ground.

On Tuesday 8 October 2002 at 0356, the bulk carrier "Tai Ping", with a pilot, a master and 22 crew on board, became engulfed by thick fog, left the Bluff approach channel and grounded. The ship remained aground until 17 October 2002 and suffered extensive damage to the bottom plating. Safety issues identified included: • adequacy of pilot training, including simulation • adequacy and interpretation of weather forecasts for port areas • adequacy of bridge resource management • adequacy of resource management within the port service personnel

On Tuesday 17 October 2000, at about 1250, a MDHC 369E helicopter ZK-HFT, was returning to Queenstown with 2 people on board when the pilot made a forced landing owing to a loss of engine power.

At about 0640 on 20 October 2006, the sixth wagon on express freight Train 237 derailed and entered a crossing loop at Utiku, derailing 9 other wagons and bringing down a section of the overhead electric traction line as well. The derailment was caused by the dynamics of a permanently coupled pair of wagons and the design of the modified solid drawbar arrangement when the wagons behind bunched and “ran-in” while the train was under braking on a descending gradient.

[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.

On Wednesday 18 December 2002 at about 2230, northbound express freight Train 220 was approaching Rukuhia when dragging brake gear on a wagon near the middle of the train hit the spreader bar of the south-end turnout. As a result of the impact, the train parted and 11 wagons derailed. Safety issues identified included: · the limitations of the fulcrum pin connecting the brake vertical lever to the brake beam · the absence of a safety wire to support the push rod in the event of a failure.