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.]

At about 1123 hours on Sunday 19 April 1998 ZK-HKU, an Aerospatiale AS350D helicopter fitted with an AlliedSignal LTS101 engine, experienced a total loss of engine power while on approach to land at the Skyline Skyrides heliport at Rotorua. The pilot made an autorotational landing onto uneven terrain. No injuries to the helicopter occupants resulted.

On Saturday 28 March 1998 at 1707 hours Train 201, the southbound Auckland to Wellington Overlander passenger express, struck a displaced load on Train 242, a Wellington to Palmerston North express freight train which was berthed in the Longburn loop. There were no injuries. Train 201 suffered superficial damage to the locomotive and carriages. Safety deficiencies identified were: · the lack of appreciation of correct load securing requirements · insufficient training of staff involved in loading

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.

At about 0826 on Monday, 16 March 1998, "Condor 10" was proceeding out of Wellington Harbour into a moderate southerly swell, when the vessel encountered two short steep waves of approximately 4.5 m in height. The master reduced speed as "Condor 10" rose over the first wave, and the vessel dipped onto the face of the second wave. The resultant slamming displaced the bow visor and caused substantial damage to the surrounding hull structure. None of the 231 passengers and 22 crew were injured in the incident. Safety issues identified included:

On Saturday, 14 March 1998, at about 1802 hours a displaced stack of platform containers on Train 235, a Westfield to Wellington express freight train, struck a through-truss bridge at Ngaruawahia. As a result of the collision the train parted, six wagons were derailed, and major damage to the bridge occurred when five wagons and various loads concertinaed. The cause of the collision was the movement of inadequately restrained stacked platform containers. Safety issues identified were: • the serviceability and uniformity of integral interlocking devices fitted to platform containers;

On Monday 9 March 1998 at about 2359 hours, nine wagons of Train 928, a northbound Dunedin to Christchurch express freight, derailed near Purakanui at low speed. The train continued for approximately four kilometres before a brake application alerted the locomotive engineer to the problem. The point of the derailment coincided with that of an almost identical derailment involving Train 928 on 3 March 1998.

On Monday, 9 March 1998, at about 0655 hours Train 1603, a Masterton to Wellington suburban passenger service, collided with a transition head which had fallen from the locomotive cowcatcher. Damage to the underside of the train resulted in a 3000 litre diesel fuel spillage. The cause of the collision was a transition head becoming displaced in transit due to inadequate stowage details. Safety deficiencies identified were: • The lack of adequate investigation of the work necessary to convert overseas rolling stock for New Zealand coupling requirements.

[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.]

[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.]

At about 0810 on Friday, 6 March 1998, the harbour tug "Purau" and the Diamond Harbour ferry Ngatiki, with eight passengers on board, were in collision in the Port of Lyttelton. The ferry was severely damaged and all except one passenger received minor injuries.