One mid-air near-miss every 3 weeks

A report into the airplane crash that killed Jessica Neeson reveals 131 REPORTED mid-air near-misses since 2000

The Civil Aviation Authority figures, though heavily doctored, still shows that the number of mid-air near-misses in the last 10 years have skyrocketed by 770 percent compared with the previous 10 years.

“Between 1990 and 1999 there were 17 reported near-misses, three of which involved training aircraft. In the period since 2000, there have been 131 near-misses,” according to a report.

Related Links

At least 1,934 tourists and immigrants have been Killed in NZ between  January 2000 and 2 October 2010

Related Links:

• Top 10 Most Dangerous Airlines in 2009/2010
• Proudly Killed in New Zealand [Most recent toll only!]
• 10 Worst Places
• New Zealand Death Clock
• New Zealand Air Crash Kills 9

Don’t Miss:

The Moderators have been expecting another Air New Zealand Airbus A320 to plunge into the sea (again), based on the airline’s safety statistics, but Air France beat the kiwis to it!

New Zealand Air Crash Kills 9

Faulty Plane and/or Incompetent Pilot Kill 9, Including 4 Tourists, 1 Immigrant and 1 Aussie Instructor

Fletcher FU24  skydiving aircraft burst into flames shortly after takeoff near the Fox Glacier on New Zealand’s South Island killing all 9 people onboard.

New Zealand Death Clock started ticking for the 4 dead tourists the moment they booked their New Zealand holiday. They were among the 9 people killed when their skydiving plane crashed at an airstrip near Fox Glacier on the west coast of South Island.  Photo credit: Christchurch Press. Photo may be subject to copyright.

Police named the dead tourists and others as

• Glen Bourke, 18, from Melbourne, Australia
• Annita Kirsten, 23, from Germany
• Patrick Byrne, 26, from County Wexford, Ireland
• Brad Coker, 24, from Farnborough, U.K.
• Chaminda Senadhira, 33, [pilot]
• Adam Bennett, 47, from Australia [skydiving instructor ]

Others Killed:

Michael Suter, 32, Christopher McDonald, 62, and Rodney Miller, 55, from Greymouth, NZ.

“The fatal crash was the third in the region in the past 17 years.

“In October 1993, nine people died in a plane crash when a twin-engine Nomad 22 crashed at nearby Franz Josef Glacier. In October 1994, seven people were killed when a Helicopter Line Squirrel helicopter on a sightseeing flight crashed in a mountainous area near Fox Glacier,” according to a report.

The dead tourists and the other 2 foreigners killed in the totally unnecessary crash were the 1,907th, 1,908th, 1,909th, 1,910th, 1,911th and  1,912th foreigners to be killed in New Zealand  since January 2000.

At least 1,912 tourists and immigrants have been Killed in NZ between  January 2000 and 3 September 2010

In 2008 we said:

[See also: Aussie Tourist’s Biggest Mistake in Life …]

New Zealand occupies positions 1 to 7 of the world’s 10 Worst Holiday Destinations because…

• Exposure to deadly chemicals
• Exposure to viral infections
• Unsanitary food, accommodation
• Exposure to sewage contaminated beaches and waterways
• Little or NO access to even rudimentary medical facilities in the case of record numbers of deadly road crashes, and inordinate number of deaths and near-fatal injuries caused by using defective equipment for climbing, tramping, paragliding, bungy jumping, skiing, canoeing, diving and all other mountain, snow, water sports and outdoor activities
• Deadly roads!
• Defective, old, poorly maintained rental cars, quad-bikes, jet skis, and all other sports equipment
• Inadequate or NO supervision in venues where extreme sports are touted
• [Unfit, unqualified instructors or otherwise those operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs]
• Little or NO warning posted in dangerous  places and unsafe areas that pose a life threat, or serious injuries, to the visitors, but are invariably advertised as “popular hot spots” to lure unsuspecting foreign visitors

Related Links:

• Top 10 Most Dangerous Airlines in 2009/2010
• Proudly Killed in New Zealand [Most recent toll only!]
• 10 Worst Places
• New Zealand Death Clock

Don’t Miss:

The Moderators have been expecting another Air New Zealand Airbus A320 to plunge into the sea (again), based on the airline’s safety statistics, but Air France beat the kiwis to it!

Another NZ Pilot Downs His Helicopter

kiwi pilot Kills Himself and two Spaniards

The bodies  of Kevin Holmes, a New Zealander, and two Spaniards, have been recovered from the wreckage of a helicopter in Spain, news agency AFP reported, Stuff NZ said.

New Zealand-born Kevin Holmes was probably flying the helicopter when it crashed into the sea off the port of Almeria, Spain.

Of the four people on board, three were reportedly killed, but the fourth person survived and was rescued.

“Holmes’ body was found in the helicopter at a depth of 85 metres by a Spanish navy team using a remote-controlled submarine.”

The helicopter was on a routine flight and the cause of the crash is a mystery, AFP reported.

Try pilot error [incompetence, poor training, alcohol, drugs…!]

Meanwhile …

An Air New Zealand Double Tragedy Waiting to Happen

Air New Zealand had a “close call” as two passenger aircraft over Queenstown’s Lake Wakatipu came close enough to spark an automatic warning to the two pilots, the Otago Daily Times reported.

“CAA spokeswoman Emma Peel said yesterday an Air New Zealand Boeing 737 was approaching Queenstown Airport’s runway last Saturday when it was warned by its “terrain collision avoidance system” another aircraft was in the area.” The report said.

Back in  Auckland International Airport …

Another Emergency Landing at Auckland International Airport

An  Airbus A340-200, some 60 minutes into its flight from Auckland to Buenos Aires, reported the shutdown of its No. 1 engine, and returned to Auckland, scaring the living daylight out of its passengers. Fortunately for the 229 tourists onboard,  the plane landed without incident at about 10.25pm,  a report said.

Related Links:

• Another NZ Joke …
• Pilot Had One Too Many the Night Before?
• New Zealand Student Pilot and his Instructor Downed 20 Beers Each Before Flying Lesson
• How Air New Zealand Killed 257 People …
• NY Widow Sues kiwi Crash Pilot Company
• Another Air NZ Flying Coffin Catches Fire Mid-air
• New Zealand Kills 2 More Mexican Students
• kiwi piloted helicopter in NY air crash
• Incompetent kiwi helicopter pilot spoiled it for his Aussie mate

Killed by train, plane , automobile … and Mr Wolfie

sent by a reader

A 12-hr snapshot of murder, plane crash, train smash, road kills … in New Zealand

Mobil Mart Service Station Murder

A woman was viciously attacked and murdered on a Mobil Mart Service Station forecourt in suburban Johnsonville, Wellington, New Zealand at  about 11.55pm last night [March 14, 2009.]

The victim was found lying on the forecourt with “significant injuries.”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2263412/Woman-killed-in-service-station-attack

Papatoetoe Train Smash

A pedestrian was killed this morning after being hit by a train in Papatoetoe, Auckland, NZ, nincompoop police said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2263609/Pedestrian-hit-by-train

Plane crash on the West Coast kills one

A light plane crashed  in the Inangahua area on the West Coast killing the “unlucky”  Pilot at about 11am, this morning.

Nincompoop police from Reefton and Westport attended the scene to take photos, while the Civil Aviation Authority, which was also advised, said they were still too busy “investigating” the hang-glider crash.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10561810

Automobile Crash

Awaiting the report of car crash that killed two people  near Wanganui last night.

Meanwhile,  body of a 16-year-old youth was found in a street in Ngaruawahia, 20km northwest of Hamilton, this morning.

A passing motorist discovered the body lying in Herschel Street near Ngaruawahia Fire Station, where a window was smashed.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2263575/Body-found-in-Ngaruawahia

One killed, two [three] seriously injured, possibly fatally, in Taupo crash

One person was killed and two seriously injured after a crash on State Highway 1 near Wairakei, 10km north of Taupo at about midday today.

The two injured were airlifted to Waikato hospital, a police infector with northern police communications said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10561815

A later report said:

“A 22-year-old woman died after a Toyota and Honda collided head-on about midday on State Highway 1 at Maroa, 20km north of Taupo, Sergeant Dave Frazer of Taupo police said.

“The woman, who was an overseas student studying in Auckland, had been a passenger in the Toyota .

“Its driver, a 21-year-old woman who was also an overseas student studying in Auckland, was seriously injured, as were two women who were in the back of the vehicle.

“All three were airlifted to Rotorua Hospital, Mr Frazer said.

“A 27-year-old man who was the front seat passenger was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

“The driver of the Honda, a 28-year-old man from Putaruru, was airlifted to Rotorua hospital where he was in intensive care in a serious condition.

“Two Putaruru men aged 33 and 35, who were passengers in the Honda, were taken to Taupo Hospital with moderate injuries.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/5391712
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10561888

The above was the 2009 Road Death # 104 [at least!]

Related Links:

• A Day in the Life of Murder

Pilot Error Downed Air New Zealand Airbus!

Watch Our Lips: Read the *&#^*%* Report!

“PILOT ERROR” caused the Airbus A320 to crash into the Mediterranean Sea killing all aboard.

Five New Zealanders died in the crash off the coast of France in November. Photos / l’Independant, via nz herald.

France’s Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses (BEA) said in a  report published today in Paris that the “the plane performed a low speed test at too low an altitude.”

“The report shows a dramatic last minute struggle to save the plane, but it smashed into the sea at 263 knots or 487 kilometres per hour.” Media reported.

“Air New Zealand pilot Brian Horrell was sitting in a middle cockpit seat and an unnamed Air New Zealand engineer was on the flight deck.”

The report says the crew had “not received any specific training for this type of flight”.

The nincompoop Air New Zealand CEO, Rob Fyfe, is naturally upset with his airline’s abject failure to ensure safety. Mr Fyfe said, a “combination of failures” must have been behind the crash.

Yes, Mr Fyfe, you’re dead right, it was a combination of failures: Incompetence, inadequate training, corporate  greed, cutting corners …

In America some pilots can land on water without engines!

Related Links:

• Air New Zealand Flying Coffin Crashes in the Mediterranean
• Come Fly Air New Zealand! Chose where you want to crash: The Antarctic, or Mediterranean sea.

• Sick as … Air New Zealand!