Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

The Seabourn Encore was berthed at PrimePort Timaru. In strong south westerly winds, a number of wharf mooring bollards and ship mooring lines progressively failed allowing the ship to swing off the berth and collided with a nearby cement carrier. Nobody harmed, but some damage to wharf infrastructure and both ships. Final Report addresses matters concerning mooring equipment; mooring procedures; and planning for, and responding to, a change in the weather. Recommendations apply both locally and nationwide to all ports in New Zealand.

On 24 July 2023, the fully loaded Achilles Bulker was departing the Port of Tauranga under pilotage when it began unexpectedly swinging to port after clearing the harbour entrance. As the bridge team attempted to correct the course, the ship’s rudder detached, causing it to drift out of the channel into shallow water. The pilots and crew managed to bring the vessel to a stop using both anchors, narrowly avoiding grounding.

An Airbus A320 inadvertently flew below minimum safe height on approach to Christchurch Airport. It landed safely. Lesson: properly used automated flight navigation systems will reduce crew workload and result in safer flight operations. Crew chose not to use auto, did not stay aware of their location compared to standard arrival route, and air traffic controller did not alert the flight crew.

The aircraft was returning to Gore Aerodrome from a private airstrip. A local farmer observed the aircraft pass over the property about 400 feet above ground level, in normal cruising flight. Shortly afterwards it rolled to the left and entered a steep dive from which it was not recovered. The two occupants received fatal injuries in the ensuing ground impact.

The aircraft was making an approach to the airstrip when it was observed to oscillate in pitch. The left wing failed and the aircraft dived into the ground, fatally injuring the pilot.

A Robinson R44 helicopter crashed into dense bush in Glenbervie Forest near Whāngārei. The two occupants – the pilot and a forestry contractor – died in the crash, and the helicopter was consumed by fire. Crash and fire damage destroyed evidence, so the cause or causes could not be determined. The Commission has previously recommended that recorders be fitted to certain classes of helicopter to aid accident investigation.

TAIC has published its Final Report on the immobilisation and tagging of an Auckland metropolitan passenger train in September 2017. TAIC recommended that the train operator improve training for train crews, including liaising with emergency services. A fast and efficient emergency response depends on first responders receiving clear, concise and timely information.

The homebuilt aircraft, which had been constructed by the owner pilot, was observed taking off from Culverden to return to Christchurch. The take-off and initial climb appeared normal but at a height of about 200 feet agl the engine was heard to falter and misfire. The aircraft entered a spin to the left and collided with the ground just north of the aerodrome. The pilot and passenger received fatal injuries.

Shortly after a night take-off from Auckland Airport the aircraft descended to collide with a bank at the aerodrome boundary before a second collision with the water surface of Manukau Harbour. The three crew were killed in the accident.