Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

On Wednesday 30 June 2004 at about 1530, the restricted limit passenger vessel "Esprit de Mer" with a skipper, one staff member and 7 passengers on board was returning from the Milford Deep Underwater Observatory at Harrison Cove to the ferry terminal at Milford Sound. As the boat approached the wharf, the skipper noticed black smoke coming from a port-side engine room ventilator. The boat was secured alongside and the passengers disembarked. The skipper stopped the engines and used a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher to fight the fire. The fire was extinguished almost immediately.

On Monday 28 June 2004, at about 0710, the power generator unit at the rear of passenger express Train 1605 caught fire as the train berthed at Carterton Station. The train manager expended one of 3 fire extinguishers carried on board the train to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries to passengers or crew. Safety issues identified included: - the layout of the generator enclosure - the installation of the fire detection and suppression system. Three safety recommendations were made to the Chief Executive of Toll NZ Consolidated 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 Wednesday 19 May 2004 at about 0117, the fishing vessel "Joanne" collided with the tanker "Hellas Constellation" in the approach channel to the Port of Tauranga. The "Joanne", with 2 people on board, was returning from fishing grounds in Bay of Plenty. The "Hellas Constellation", with a full cargo of automotive gas oil, was entering the Port of Tauranga under pilotage. There were no injuries. The "Joanne" suffered minor damage to the bow only. The "Hellas Constellation’s" hull plating and framing were set in, but not ruptured, and there was no spillage of its cargo of oil.

On 13 May 2004, a party of 18 passengers hired 2 jet boats to take them for a trip on Waimakariri River, north of Christchurch. At the conclusion of the trip, at about 1700, while the driver of CYS was manoeuvring back onto the boat's trailer, the reverse duct jammed in the down, or astern, position. The driver tried to rectify the problem, but the boat was caught in the swift flowing current and was swept towards a motorway bridge, less than 100 m downstream. The driver tried to manoeuvre the boat, but he was unsuccessful and it collided with one of the bridge supporting piers.

[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.]

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

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

On Friday 23 April 2004, Helicopter Services UH-1B helicopter ZK-HSF was on a ferry flight to Gore to facilitate maintenance work. En-route near Mokoreta a main rotor blade separated, the helicopter broke up and fell to the ground. The pilot, the sole occupant, was killed and the helicopter was destroyed. The accident resulted from fatigue failure of a tension-torsion (TT) strap, a critical rotor hub component. The fatigue cracking had probably been initiated by an unreported rotor overspeed event. Safety issues identified included:

On Friday, 16 April 2004, at about 1725, smoke was observed coming from beneath Train 2146 as it departed Newmarket. The train stopped at the next station, Boston Road. The passengers were evacuated and the fire was extinguished with the assistance of the New Zealand Fire Service. There were no injuries. The safety issues identified were: - the fittings connecting the oil inlet hose to the engine and the turbocharger - the shroud panels surrounding the auxiliary engine. One safety recommendation was made to the Chief Executive of Auckland Regional Transport Authority

On Thursday 15 April 2004 at about 0215, the fishing vessel "Poseidon" grounded on a beach north of Manukau Heads while on passage from fishing grounds off Kawhia to Onehunga. The skipper was able to transmit a mayday call and the crew were winched off the vessel by rescue helicopter. On the evening of 16 April 2004 a salvage team refloated the "Poseidon". There were no injuries. The vessel suffered extensive damage to its hull and fitments. Safety issues identified included: • the lack of a watchkeeping monitor alarm for a single-handed wheelhouse operation

On Wednesday 14 April 2004, at 1504, Train 736, a Christchurch-Picton express freight service was signalled into the Christchurch-Belfast section of the Main North Line that was already occupied by a track maintenance gang. The occupation had been authorised by an outgoing train controller. Three track maintenance personnel had to take evasive action when the train passed through their worksite. There were no injuries or equipment damage. Safety issues identified included: - the lack of forward planning on the train control diagram