Inquiries & Recommendations

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On Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at about 1430, a collision occurred between a rail-mounted excavator, operating as a hi-rail vehicle, and Train 688 at 216.5 km between Waipunga and Waikoau on the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line. The excavator was operating outside its authorised work area and beyond the agreed "check call" time with the train controller when the collision occurred. There were no injuries.

While the helicopter was being refuelled a bystander, who was the father of the two men conducting a spraying operation, walked into the aircraft's tail rotor and lost his life. The victim had been briefed on safety precautions and had observed them carefully but on this occasion he became distracted and walked into the danger area.

A loaded passenger train had perceived brake problems and halted soon after departure from Wellington Station. There were differences between track hardware, the signaller’s information screen, and mistaken impressions that resulted. With authorisation from the signaller, the train began to return to the station. Just then, the signaller saw that the returning train was heading into the path of an inbound train. The signaller called the driver, who stopped the train. No collision, nobody injured.

On Friday 3 October 2003 at 2126, Convair 580 ZK-KFU was on a scheduled night freight flight from Christchurch to Palmerston North, when it was observed on radar to enter a tightening left turn and disappear. Attempts to contact the aircraft were unsuccessful and a search for the aircraft was started. The aircraft had impacted the sea about 10 km north of Paraparaumu about vertically and at high speed. The crew of 2 was killed on impact.

On Wednesday 5 July 2000 at about 0900, the bulk carrier "Dorthe Oldendorff" departed from Chelsea Wharf in Auckland Harbour. The ship was under pilotage and its unberthing was assisted by 2 tugs: one port company tug and one contract tug. The ship was let go from the wharf and turned around into the channel in readiness to transit the harbour. While the skipper of the contract tug, "Mahia", was preparing to let go, weight came on the towline causing the tug to heel heavily. The towline parted and the "Mahia" rapidly righted itself, throwing the deckhand overboard.

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.

At about 0130 hours on Wednesday 11 June 1997 ZK-KVL, a Beechcraft BE58 Baron twin-engined aircraft, on a night freight flight from Palmerston North to Christchurch, disappeared from radar. The aircraft wreckage was subsequently located in the Tararua Ranges 21 km south-east of Paraparaumu. The aircraft had struck a wooded slope at high speed in a steep spiral dive, and fragmented. The pilot was killed on impact. The aircraft had probably encountered severe in-flight icing at 10 000 feet, in the area of a convective cell, resulting in a loss of control.

New Zealand has completed its support for this inquiry. Please note, TAIC will not be producing a report for this inquiry.

On 15 April 2013 a two-car Matangi passenger train was operating the service from Wellington to Melling Station. As the train was slowing on the approach to Melling Station it encountered slippery track conditions, and despite the efforts of the train driver the train collided with the stop block just past the station platform. The train was damaged and three passengers received first aid, with one sustaining minor injuries. The force of the collision lifted the concrete stop block out of the ground.

On Tuesday 29 January 2002 at about 1119, express freight Train 530 collided with a stationary shunting locomotive in New Plymouth when the locomotive engineer fell asleep briefly while berthing. There were no injuries and the locomotives were only slightly damaged. The following safety issues were identified: • the restorative sleep habits of the locomotive engineer while working night shifts • the inability of the locomotive vigilance system to overcome short-term attention deficits in time to prevent this type of accident.

On 11 August 1993 a child cyclist who, while chasing a departing train along the station platform at Levin, lost control of his bicycle and became wedged between the train and the platform. The safety issues identified in the investigation were the supervision of station platforms as trains depart, the need for signs warning against cycling and similar activities on station platforms, and the promulgation of the statutory Railway Regulations.

On Sunday 22 August 2004 at about 1708, the passenger ferry "Superflyte" was proceeding from Matiatia on Waiheke Island to Auckland, with 6 crew and 311 passengers on board, when a fire was discovered in the port engine room. The master issued a distress call and all passengers were evacuated in due course to other vessels that responded to the call. Carbon dioxide flooding was used in an attempt to extinguish the fire, but this was unsuccessful due to a fault in the system. The fire was eventually extinguished manually by the crew with assistance from the Fire Service.