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KiwiRail DXC class diesel-electric locomotive number 5287 at a station platform, leading a consist of a second locomotive and passenger carriages. The locomotive is painted in KiwiRail’s yellow, red, grey and white livery, with a large logo on the side.

Rail RO-2025-101: Train 931, Safe working irregularity, 553.82 km Main South Line, Mataura, 12 January 2025

, Inquiry Status: Closed

Open communications channels are better than closed for safety-critical information.
New TAIC report: It’s risky to use closed channels such as cellphones when communicating safety-critical information, and more hazardous when third parties kept in the dark. Maintenance workers and road users were endangered when a train passed through a level crossing at 77kph. The train driver was unaware of a temporary 10kph speed limit. What made this incident more likely: an unplanned worksite, unsuitable communication via cellphone rather than radio, and poor timing.

Freight train about to collide with truck on level crossing in Waikanae

Rail RO-2025-108: Freight train collided with heavy road vehicle at level crossing, Waikanae, 15 October 2025

, Inquiry Status: Current

The Commission is investigating a collision between a northbound freight train and a heavy road vehicle at the Elizabeth Street level crossing in Waikanae at 0620 on 15 October 2025. The reported circumstances were that a large articulated truck (Titan Mack tractor unit) hauling a low loader with…

Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, registration ZK-NZR, in black and white koru and fern livery, flying with landing gear extended against a clear blue sky

Aviation AO-2025-004: Boeing 787-9, inflight fuel imbalance, over Tasman Sea, 14 August 2025

, Inquiry Status: Current

The Commission is investigating an incident involving a Boeing 787-9 operating as NZ175 from Auckland to Perth, in international airspace over the Tasman Sea. The reported circumstances were that the crew noticed a fuel imbalance and further diagnosis led them to shut down the left engine in…

TranzAlpine train - two locomotives and several carriages in a rural setting with snow-capped mountains in the background

Rail RO-2025-107: TranzAlpine locomotive, fuel leak, near Arthur’s Pass, 5 August 2025

, Inquiry Status: Current

The Commission is investigating an incident involving the TranzAlpine service on 5 August 2025. The reported circumstances were that the train was travelling towards Christchurch. The train had passed through Otira…

ZK-IGD, Bell 206L-3 LongRanger helicopter, in flight Photographed near Auckland, January 2022. The helicopter has landing skids.

Aviation AO-2025-003: Bell 206L-3, impacted ground, near Matatā, 27 July 2025

, Inquiry Status: Current

TAIC is investigating an accident involving a Bell 206L-3 LongRanger helicopter. The reported circumstances were that shortly after lift-off the helicopter experienced violent shaking and it impacted the ground.…

File photo of bulk carrier Achilles Bulker taken in 2022 near Nelson, New Zealand. The vessel is shown high out of the water, with anchor deployed, positioned behind a low-lying gravel or sandbar. Rust staining is visible along the hull, deck cranes, and superstructure. The ship has four cargo cranes and closed hatch covers, indicating a geared bulk carrier configuration. The vessel is lit by sunlight from a low angle, casting warm tones across the scene. Mountain ranges are visible in the background.

Marine News: QA issues with ship steering gear installs

TAIC report: Rudder failure highlights installation safety issue
TAIC identifies serious safety issue: the need for robust quality assurance when installing steering systems.
A cargo ship narrowly avoided…

The Achilles Bulker is shown high out of the water, possibly under way behind a low-lying gravel bar. Rust staining is visible along the hull, deck cranes, and superstructure. The ship has four cargo cranes and closed hatch covers, indicating a geared bulk carrier configuration. The vessel is lit by sunlight from a low angle, casting warm tones across the scene. A mountain range is visible in the distance.

Marine MO-2023-205: Bulk carrier, Achilles Bulker, Loss of rudder, Off the Port of Tauranga, 24 July 2023

, Inquiry Status: Closed

Key safety issue: the need for robust quality assurance when working on steering systems.

Cargo ship narrowly avoided grounding when rudder detached mid-transit. The crew and pilots acted fast to anchor…

Aerial view of the container ship Shiling adrift in open ocean following a machinery failure during its second incident in 2023. The vessel is heavily laden with multi-coloured shipping containers stacked on deck. The bow is visibly trimmed low, and the ship appears to be listing slightly to port. Sea state is moderate under clear skies, with the New Zealand coastline faintly visible on the horizon. Image captured by the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter during a response operation

Marine Substandard ships should be banned from New Zealand

Media release, first published 6 June 2025
Deferred maintenance is a risk in itself. It’s virtually certain the container ship Shiling was unseaworthy when in NZ, despite holding valid certificates. Shiling twice…

Front end view of a railway track tamper machine derailed inside a tunnel. The tamper has come to rest with a noticeable lateral tilt, indicating loss of alignment with the rails. A significant quantity of crushed stone ballast has been pushed forward and accumulated ahead of the machine, consistent with it having run approximately 16 metres off the rails through loose ballast. The image also shows the tunnel interior, tunnel wall markings, and components of the tamper's cab and underframe.

Rail Derailment report - Rules don’t keep overstretched workers safe

The lesson for all high-risk work sites: don’t rely on procedures alone; physical protections are essential.
TAIC recommends that KiwiRail:
- Improve authorisation for rail movements;
- Require…