Transport Accident Investigation Commission
Te Komihana Tirotiro Aitua Waka
Agency overview
Formed1 September 1990
JurisdictionNew Zealand
HeadquartersWellington, New Zealand
41°16′59″S 174°46′37″E / 41.283°S 174.777°E / -41.283; 174.777
Employees30
Annual budget$9.3M NZD (2023)
Minister responsible
Agency executives
  • Jane Meares, Chief Commissioner
  • Stephen Davies Howard, Deputy Chief Commissioner
  • Martin Sawyers, Chief Executive
Parent agencyMinistry of Transport
Websitewww.taic.org.nz

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC, Māori: Te Kōmihana Tirotiro Aituā Waka) is a transport safety body of New Zealand. It has its headquarters on the 7th floor of 10 Brandon Street in Wellington.[1] The agency investigates aviation, marine, and rail accidents and incidents occurring in New Zealand. It does not investigate road accidents except where they affect the safety of aviation, marine, or rail (e.g. level crossing or car ferry accidents).[2]

It was established by an Act of the Parliament of New Zealand (the Transport Accident Investigation Commission Act 1990) on 1 September 1990. TAIC's legislation, functions and powers were modelled on and share some similarities with the National Transportation Safety Board (USA) and the Transportation Safety Board (Canada). It is a standing Commission of Inquiry and an independent Crown entity, and reports to the Minister of Transport.

Initially investigating aviation accidents only, the TAIC's jurisdiction was extended in 1992 to cover railway accidents and later in 1995 to cover marine accidents.

In May 2006, the Aviation Industry Association claimed too often the organisation did not find the true cause of accidents, after TAIC released the results of a second investigation into a fatal helicopter crash at Taumarunui in 2001. The Commission rejected the criticism, CEO Lois Hutchinson citing the results of a March 2003 audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization.[3]

Ron Chippindale, who investigated the Mount Erebus Disaster, was Chief Inspector of Accidents from 1990 to 31 October 1998.[4] He was succeeded as Chief Investigator of Accidents by Capt. Tim Burfoot,[5] John Mockett in 2002,[6] Tim Burfoot again in 2007,[7] Aaron Holman in 2019,[8] Harald Hendel in 2020,[9] and Naveen Kozhuppakalam in 2022.[10]

Peer agencies in other countries

References

  1. ^ "TAIC website 'contact us'". TAIC. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  2. ^ "TAIC homepage." Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Retrieved on 13 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Air crash investigators hit back". New Zealand Herald. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
  4. ^ "Bulletin October 1998". TAIC. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  5. ^ "TAIC Annual Report 200/01" (PDF).
  6. ^ "TAIC Annual Report 2002/03" (PDF).
  7. ^ "TAIC Annual Report 2006/07" (PDF). Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  8. ^ "TAIC Annual Report 2018/19" (PDF). TAIC. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Quoted for 1st time in TAIC media release". TAIC. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  10. ^ "TAIC media release - Kaikōura capsize: appeal for witnesses". Transport Accident Investigation Commission. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.

External links


Independent Crown entities of New Zealand
Aviation accident and incident investigation agencies
Maritime accident and incident investigation agencies
Rail accident and incident investigation agencies
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