Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

On Monday 18 June 2007 at 0812, ZK-EAK, a Hawker Beechcraft Corporation 1900D, was on approach to land at Wellington when the landing gear failed to lower. The 2-pilot crew completed a missed approach and further attempted to lower the landing gear by both normal and emergency means. The landing gear remained retracted, so the crew elected to divert to Woodbourne where a wheels-up landing was made. The aircraft sustained moderate damage consistent with a wheels-up landing. There was no injury to the crew or the 15 passengers.

At about 1915 on Saturday 22 September 2007, southbound express freight Train 239 parted between the 22nd and 23rd wagons while the train was travelling on the North Island Main Trunk line between Te Awamutu and Te Kawa. The emergency brakes applied automatically as the air pressure in the brake pipe reduced and both portions of the train rolled to a stop, some distance apart.

[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.]

Two persons fell while being winched in from the ship "Pacific Ariki", by a hoist installed in Bell 212 helicopter ZK-HNO on 14 November 1993. The ship was at sea 2nm west of Oaonui.

In February 2017 the crew of the passenger cruise ship Emerald Princess were re-pressurising the gas cylinders after maintenance, when the cylinder burst below its normal operating pressure, causing the death of a nearby crew member. The cylinder had been weakened by corrosion. The inquiry report highlights a lack of global minimum standards for inspection, testing and rejecting pressure cylinders for stored energy systems on lifeboat launching installations – a system common on cruise ships.

On 30 December 2006, a fire occurred in the left General Electric CF6-80C2 engine nacelle of a Boeing 767 aircraft as it taxied clear of the runway after landing at Auckland International Airport. The fire was promptly extinguished and the minor damage was confined within the nacelle.

Two trains were put into conflict due to a signal box display not showing track and points layouts correctly, but a driver realised he was on wrong track and stopped his train. Safety issues related to the change management process for upgrading the signal box, and signaller familiarity with the actual track layout and equipment capabilities. Two recommendations have been made to KiwiRail, on top of safety actions taken.

On Friday 27 June 2003, Tranz Metro Train 3347 was an Auckland to Papakura diesel multiple unit passenger train. At about 0915, a driveshaft on passenger car ADL 810 failed as the train approached Purewa Tunnel, between Meadowbank and Glen Innes stations. The DMU driver stopped the train about 200 m short of the tunnel. The free end of the failed driveshaft was not sufficiently restrained and it punctured the floor of the passenger compartment. The 3 passengers travelling in ADL 810 were not injured. The safety issues identified included:

ZK-KID, a high performance homebuilt design, was owned and operated by the pilot who had constructed the aircraft himself. He had flown to Alexandra to attend a Chapter meeting of the NZ Amateur Aircraft Constructors Association. A "mini-competition" was held to round off the afternoon's activities. Part of the set exercises involved flying a figure eight pattern at 500 feet above aerodrome level. During the second half of this manoeuvre ZK-KID was observed to lose height while turning from a downwind heading to crosswind at a steep angle of bank.

At about 1320 on 10 November 2007, a Fletcher FU24-950EX aeroplane, registered ZK-EGV, was engaged in aerial top-dressing of a farm near Opotiki when it descended into trees in a small gully about 600 metres from the area being top-dressed. The pilot, the only occupant, was killed.