New Zealand

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    Hot Air Balloon Hits Electrical Wires, Goes Up in Flames

    What: Early Morning Balloons hot air balloon
    Where: New Zealand
    When: Jan7 2012
    Who: 11 fatalities
    Why: Five couples from around Wellington were aboard a hot air balloon 500 feet high in New Zealand when it struck a power line and ignited. The balloon had been preparing to land. Everyone aboard was trapped; two jumped from the basket, but they also died. First the basket burned, then the canopy.

    Passengers had tickets for a 45 minute flight.

    Witnesses on the ground watched in horror as the accident happened. Among those who died were pilot Lance Robert Hopping, Howard and Diana Cox, Alexis Still and Chrisjan Jordaan. A mother and daughter were also aboard.

    Two of the bodies were taken to Wellington Hospital.

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    NZ Chopper Smashed While Setting up Christmas Tree

    What: Helisika Agricultural Ltd. Aérospatiale AS 350B2 Ecureuil
    Where: Viaduct Harbour, Auckland, NZ
    When: Nov 23, 2011
    Who: 1 pilot
    Why: After setting a pylon for a christmas tree, the chopper’s roter struck a cable, and crashed the chopper.

    Pilot Greg Gribble was hospitalized and released.

    Te Wero Bridge has been closed to pedestrians until the investigation is complete.

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    Lightning-struck Beech in NZ


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Jonathan Rankin

    What: Eagle Air/Air New Zealand Beech 1900D en route from Wellington to Palmerston North
    Where: New Zealand
    When: Aug 15th 2011
    Who: 16 passengers and 2 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane was struck by lightning.

    The right winglet began smoldering after being struck. The flight crew returned to Wellington where they made a safe landing.

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    Engine Backfire, Flame out Grounds Air New Zealand Passengers


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Giovanni Verbeeck

    What: Air New Zealand Boeing 767-300en route from Auckland to Perth,WA
    Where: Auckland
    When: Jun 9th 2011
    Who: 206 passengers, 10 crew
    Why: Just after takeoff, while climbing, the left hand engine shot flames and emitted engine backfire and banging noises. The pilots described an interruption to the airflow through the left hand engine. The pilot shut down the engine and returned to Auckland where they made a safe landing. No bird strike was found, although that was initially assumed to be the cause. The engine’s electronic control has been replaced, and the engine is being tested; and the engine’s electronic control has been shipped to the manufacturer for testing.

    Passengers were provided an alternative flight to Perth. Some of them were shaken, although the airline says they were never in any danger.

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    Air New Zealand Loses Engine, Makes Safe Landing


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer George Canciani

    What: Air New Zealand Boeing 737-300 en route from Auckland to Wellington
    Where: Hamilton
    When: May 8, 2011
    Who: 101 aboard
    Why: While en route, the pilots shut down the right engine. Low oil pressure is suspected to be the problem.

    Passengers heard the right engine make an explosive noise. In the plane, passengers panicked as they dropped for several seconds—screaming, crying, praying, panic attacks.

    The plane rolled right, then straightened.

    After a few moments, the pilot came out and reassured the passengers, explaining that they’d lost an engine, but it was a routine procedure they practiced all the time and that everything was under control.

    Pilots diverted to Hamilton, where they made a safe landing. As passengers exited, the pilot told them “this was the first time an Air New Zealand 737 had had a total loss of engine.”

    Passengers were bused or rented cars to go back to Auckland and engineers examined the downed plane.

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    New Zealand Pilots Lost in South Island Chopper Crash

    What: Wanaka Helicopters Robinson R22 on a training flight from Wanaka to Haast and back
    Where: Arawhata Saddle, Wanaka South Island, New Zealand
    When: April 27 2011
    Who: Pilot instructor and student
    Why: The training flight did not return to Wanaka as scheduled at 1:00; it’s last known position was near Bonar Glacier.

    The beacon, one of two types aboard, was detected and the helicopter found at 9:00 am Thursday *local time.

    Both pilot and student were fatalities, and the wreckage was found near the Olivine Wilderness Area in a stream at the head of the Arawhata River by search teams investigating an area near Mt Aspiring. The search was focused on Bow Peak in the “Waipara Saddle.”

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    No Emergency Landing in Wellington


    Pictured: An Air New Zealand Link (Mount Cook Airline) ATR ATR-72-500 (ATR-72-212A) at Christchurch – International
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Jan Heistermann

    What: Air New Zealand/Mount Cook Avions de Tranport Regional ATR-72-500 en route from Wellington to Dunedin New Zealand
    Where: Wellington
    When: Nov 29 2010
    Who: 59 passengers
    Why: After takeoff, the crew reported smoke in the cockpit. They returned to make a landing (termed “no emergency landing” by New Zealand officials) in Wellington, with emergency services (euphemistically called airport services) on standby.

    Passengers were booked on alternative flights.

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    Cessna Crashes in Pond, no fatalities


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Adam Howley

    What: Ardmore Flying School Cessna C172R
    Where: Thames New Zealand
    When: Oct 25 2010
    Who: 2 aboard
    Why: At 10:22 a.m, the plane crashed into the pond at the end of a runway. Both individuals aboard the plane were able to exit under their own power. The plane presumably is a total loss. This is not the first time a plane has crashed into the pond at the foot of the runway.

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    New Zealand: Helicopter Missing

    What: Maritime New Zealand Robinson R22 helicopter on a training mission
    Where: Awarua, Southland New Zealand
    When: October 14, 2010
    Who: instructor and another pilot
    Why: After the last communication at 1:30 pm, at 2:15 a Robinson R22 was declared overdue.

    A search is underway utilizing three helicopters over a 1250 square kilometre area east of Bluff, including the Coastguard air patrol and Coastguard.

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    Sept 30, 2010: Another Bombardier Landing Gear Incident

    What: Air Nelson Ltd Bombardier Dash 8-300 en route from Wellington to Nelson
    Where: Blenheim Airport NZ
    When: Sept 30, 2010, 5.05pm
    Who: 46 passengers, 3 crew
    Why: The flight diverted to Blenheim because of weather conditions in Nelson. However, on landing, the nose wheel collapsed.

    George’s Point of View

    Another Bombardier collapsed wheel?

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    Air New Zealand Fuel Leak

    What: Air New Zealand en route from Invercargill and Christchurch
    Where: Dunedin International Airport
    When: September 06 2010
    Who: 43 passengers
    Why: While en route, the cockpit began to smell of fuel. The plane diverted to Dunedin where it made a safe landing.

    Passengers were booked on alternative flights while maintenance studied the plane. Operations Manager Richard Roberts verified one crew member was hospitalized.

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    Skydiving Trip Ends in Tragedy

    What: Skydive New Zealand Fletcher FU-24-954 fixed-wing plane at Fox Glacier Airport
    Where: New Zealand’s South Island
    When: Sept 4 2010 1.15 p.m.
    Who: 8 passengers and pilot
    Why: Light aircraft which was taking off for tandem skydiving crashed just after takeoff near the airstrip. The plane burst into flames on impact. The pilot and four men from Fox Glacier and four tourists from Ireland, England, Germany and Australia were aboard. The wreckage was covered by a large tarp, awaiting investigators.

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    New Zealand Fuel Leak Engine Fire Emergency Landing


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Torin Wilson

    What: Air New Zealand/ Mount Cook Airlines Aerospatiale ATR-72-500 on behalf of Air New Zealand en route from Dunedin to Wellington New Zealand
    Where: Wellington
    When: May 15th 2010
    Who: 61 passengers
    Why: On landing approach, the plane’s right engine caught on fire. The plane made a safe landing, shut down the engine and was met by emergency services.

    Maintenance found and replaced a leaking fuel line.

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    Firefighters Crash in Rio Street


    Snapshot taken from the video below

    What: Corpo de Bombeiros do Rio de Janeiro/Fire Department Air Tractor AT-802 en route to (and from) Resende Airport
    Where: Rio de Janeiro
    When: Apr 27, 2010
    Who: Two firemen, Major Jasper Sanderson and 27 year old trainee Luís Guilherme Neto
    Why: Two minutes after taking off from the airport on a training flight on the new plane, the pilot lost control of the plane and it crashed on to a city street, leaving no survivors. Sixty families had to be evacuated from the neighborhood because of the danger of explosion. The plane had the capacity to carry 3100 liters of water.

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    New Zealand Helicopter Accident

    What: Royal New Zealand Air Force Bell UH-1H Iroquois en route from Ohakea Air Base in Manawatu to Anzac Day commemorations in Wellington
    Where: 40km NE of Wellington New Zealand
    When: Apr 25 2010
    Who: 4 aboard, 3 fatalities
    Why: The helicopter crashed in rugged terrain near Pukerua Bay, in fog, killing 3 aboard (Flight Lieutenant Hayden Peter Madsen, pilot, 33; Officer Daniel Stephen Gregory, pilot, 28, and Corporal Benjamin Andrew Carson, helicopter crewman, 25) and injuring one.

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    Down Hydraulics Divert Air New Zealand Airbus


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer John Richard Thomson

    What: Air New Zealand Airbus A320-200 en route from Sydney to Wellington
    Where: over the Tasman Sea
    When: Mar 13th 2010
    Who: 99 passengers and 8 crew
    Why: While en route, the crew received an indicator message that the hydraulics were down (a hydraulics warning light.) The flight was diverted to Auckland where they made a safe landing, even though nosewheel steering (undercarriage problem) is said to have been affected.

    5 Fire Service/rescue trucks and ambulance staff were on stand by during the landing.

    Passengers were provided overnight accommodations and booked on alternative flights.

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    New Zealand Pilot Missing in Bad Weather

    What: New Plymouth Aero Club Cessna 152 en route from North Shore to New Plymouth.
    Where: Waikato, near Te Kuiti New Zealand
    When: 21 JUL 2009 1930
    Who: 1
    Why: Missing plane; circumstances largely unknown.

    At 7:30, the plane’s distress beacon was heard, and though the pilot’s last communication indicated an anticipated landing at New Plymouth by 7.50 pm, the plane never arrived at its intended destination. Search was dispached in the vicinity of the beacon 35 miles west of Te Kuiti, but weather (tornados forecast), low cloud cover, and difficult terrain proved an obstacle to the search.

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    Air NZ Nails Emergency Landing


    What: Air New Zealand Boeing 747 jet en route for Los Angeles
    Where: NZ
    When: Saturday night (Feb 7)7:30 p.m. local time Saturday (06:30 GMT), returned to Auckland 90 minutes later.
    Who: 365 people on board
    Why: Reporting a hydraulic problem after a light indicated a landing gear should not be raised, the Boeing dumped it’s fuel and returned at low altitude to New Zealand for a safe landing.

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    NZ Helicopter Crash

    What: Helicopter
    Where: near Waitakaruru, 24km southwest of the Firth of Thames New Zealand
    When: 9.30 on Sunday morning jan 25 2009
    Who: pilot and a female passenger survived the crash
    Why: A fisherman 1km from the shore witnessed the helicopter go down in mangroves and reported it.

  • ATR Emergency in New Zealand


    What: Cook Airlines Air New Zealand ATR 72-500
    Where: Wellington airport
    When: Friday less than one minute after the flight’s departure for Christchurch
    Who: 65 passengers on board, 4 crew
    Why: engine was damaged seconds after takeoff, filling the cabin with smoke. Witnesses said something hit the right engine of the plane, followed by a bang. The pilot saw a warning indicator and shut down the right engine. We have no report of injuries.

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    Taranaki Crash kills Pilot


    What: crop duster (model not indicated)
    Where: crashed into the hillside on farmland above the Waitara River in a paddock in Tarata, 19km east of Inglewood
    When: noon 14 December 2008
    Who: pilot a man in his 40s died on the scene
    Why: Cause unknown

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    Emergency Landing at Wellington Airport


    What: Air Nelson Dash-8 flight NZ8079 en route from Wellington to Invercargill
    Where: emergency landing at Wellington Airport New Zealand
    When: 9.45am. Tue, 18 Nov 2008
    Who: 19 passengers.
    Why: pilots noticed a warning indicator light on. The flight returned to Wellington and landing safely at 9.45am.

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    Emergency Landing at Wellington Airport


    What: Air Nelson Dash-8 flight NZ8079 en route from Wellington to Invercargill
    Where: emergency landing at Wellington Airport New Zealand
    When: 9.45am. Tue, 18 Nov 2008
    Who: 19 passengers.
    Why: pilots noticed a warning indicator light on. The flight returned to Wellington and landing safely at 9.45am.

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    Sewage Landing

    What: Cessna
    Where: Thames Airport on New Zealand’s North Island
    When: Monday October 27, 2008
    Who: Pilot
    Why: Pilot overshot the runway. The pilot was not hurt but the plane landed in a sewage pond and had to swim (through the sewage pond) to safety.