Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

[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 Monday, 16 July 2001, at about 0825 the passenger doors on the left side of Train 8203 electric multiple unit passenger service, opened uncommanded as the train travelled through Tunnel No 2 between Takapu Road and Wellington on the North Island Main Trunk. The locomotive engineer immediately stopped the train in the tunnel. The doors opened due to an electrical short circuit that was caused by heat from an overworked resistor bank melting the insulation on the door control wires. The crew manually closed the doors and the train continued to Wellington.

On Saturday 7 July 2001, at about 1900, express freight Train 842 derailed in the Otira Tunnel. The leading locomotive derailed 2 axles at a failed rail joint which had been installed as a temporary repair for a fractured rail found on Thursday 5 July. There were no injuries. Safety issues identified included: • the suitability of the standards for temporary track repairs • the frequency of inspection of temporary track repairs • the monitoring and control of rail top wear in the Otira Tunnel • the damp contaminated ballast condition throughout the tunnel

[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 Thursday 7 June 2001 at about 2332, the passenger and freight ferry "Arahura", with 63 passengers and 68 crew on board, was approaching Wellington when a machinery space fire alarm that had been activated was being investigated. On opening the sliding watertight door to the machinery space the engineers were met by water pouring from the space at a height of about 1.6 m above the floor plates. The door was closed again and pumps started to pump the water overboard. Prior to the flooding being discovered the watchkeeping engineer had been pumping engine room bilges for some time.

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.

On Monday 4 June 2001 at about 1715, ZK-HJH, a Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopter, was approaching Taumarunui when it was seen to enter a turn and fall to the ground, killing the 3 occupants. The helicopter was observed to break up before it hit the ground. This report summarises the results of a resumed investigation of the event and supersedes the original report (Report 01 005).

On Monday 4 June 2001 at about 1715, ZK-HJH, a Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopter, was approaching Taumarunui when it was seen to enter a turn and fall to the ground, killing the 3 occupants. The helicopter was observed to break up as it descended.

On Saturday 19 May 2001, at 1450, Boeing 767-319 ZK-NCH was on approach to land at Auckland International Aerodrome when a section of a wing flap deflection control track separated from the aeroplane. The 3 kg section penetrated the roof of an occupied warehouse and fell to the floor without causing personal injury. The crew of ZK-NCH were unaware of the event and continued with a successful landing.

On Monday 14 May 2001, the passenger charter vessel, "Osprey", with the skipper and 6 passengers on board, departed Tolaga Bay for a half-day fishing trip. At about 0830, while crossing the Uawa River bar outbound, the boat encountered 2 waves substantially larger than those already crossed. The first wave heeled the boat significantly to port, causing all on board to lose their footing. One passenger was thrown overboard. The second wave passed over the boat and caused substantial damage to the boat and flooding of the cockpit.

On Sunday 6 May 2001, at about 0838, a collision occurred between express passenger Train 600, Bay Express, and an excavator and front end loader working on the up main line at Muri, 31.4 km North Island Main Trunk. The maintenance plant was operating under Conditional Stop Protection when the collision occurred. Train 600 had been given authority to pass through the protected site at a time when one of the four work groups operating within an 11.9 km protected length understood they were clear to work. There were no injuries.

[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.]