Executive summary
On Thursday 21 October 1999 at about 1810, jet boat "Shotover 14" entered the first canyon on the Upper Shotover River with the driver and 9 passengers on board, travelling at about 65 km/h. While travelling close to the left side of the canyon a component in the steering system caught on a bracket, preventing the driver from steering to the right.
The driver overcame the jammed steering by applying considerable force through the steering wheel, but too late to prevent the jet boat glancing off the canyon wall into a rock face. Eight passengers and the driver received minor injuries and one passenger received moderate injuries in the impact. The boat was extensively damaged.
On Friday 12 November 1999 at about 1415, jet boat "Shotover 15" entered the second canyon on the Upper Shotover River with the driver and 12 passengers on board, travelling at about 65 km/h. While the boat was travelling close to the right canyon wall the steering locked and the boat struck the canyon wall. The passenger in the right rear seat struck his head on a rock overhang and was fatally injured. The other passengers and driver received minor injuries.
Safety issues identified included:
• standards of maintenance
• standards for design of jet boat components
• small safety margins designed into the trip
• driver training
• the effectiveness of Rule Part 80 in ensuring safety in the jet boat industry
• management style and its effect on safety.
Drawing on lessons learned from these 2 accidents and others investigated in the past, several safety recommendations were made to the director of Maritime Safety, the operator and a manufacturer of water jet units, to address the safety issues.
This report includes inquiry 99-212.