Date:	26-JUL-1999
Time:
Type:	ATR 72-500 (72-212A)
Owner/operator:	Mount Cook Airline
Registration:	ZK-MCC
MSN:	714
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Location:	near Queenstown, Otago -   New Zealand
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	TAIC New Zealand
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On Monday 26 July 1999 at about 1250 hours, an Air New Zealand Boeing 737 was flying a circling instrument approach in the Queenstown Control Zone when a Mount Cook ATR 72 entered the zone without a clearance, infringing the separation requirements for the 2 aircraft.

The ATR 72 had descended early and was joining Queenstown under visual flight rules via Kawarau Gorge at low-level in poor weather. Before entering the gorge, the ATR 72 had been advised by air traffic control of a possible requirement to hold at a reporting point on the edge of the control zone. Committed to continue flying through the gorge in deteriorating weather, the ATR 72 was unable to hold at the reporting point when later instructed to. The crew of the ATR 72 had continued through the gorge in the belief that they did not need to obtain an entry clearance into the control zone.

Having entered the control zone the ATR 72 compromised the circling approach of the Boeing 737 that was operating in accordance with normal instrument flight rules procedures. The controller was initially unsure of the location and intended flight path of the Boeing 737, and when both aircraft were established in the zone he was left with little option than to position the ATR 72 in front of the Boeing 737. The captain of the Boeing 737 was then committed to continuing towards the aerodrome in reducing visibility because the ATR 72 had obstructed its primary escape route to the south of the aerodrome.

Safety issues identified were:
* the ATR 72 entering a control zone without an entry clearance
* safety procedures for flying through Kawarau Gorge
* a general poor industry understanding of the requirements for flight under special visual flight rules
* position reporting by aircraft after becoming visual on the instrument approach
* flight under visual flight rules by medium and large air transport aircraft
* poor industry understanding of the management of general aviation areas within the Queenstown Control Zone.

https://taic.org.nz/inquiries?SkinSrc=[G]skins%2ftaicAviation%2fskin_aviation



Safety recommendation 019/00 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to CAA NZ
Safety recommendation 087/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to Mount Cook Airline
Safety recommendation 088/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to Mount Cook Airline
Safety recommendation 090/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to Air NZ
Safety recommendation 091/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to Airways Corp
Safety recommendation 092/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to Airways Corp
Safety recommendation 093/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to CAA NZ
Safety recommendation 094/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to CAA NZ
Safety recommendation 095/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to CAA NZ
Safety recommendation 096/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to CAA NZ
Safety recommendation 097/99 issued 18 April 2000 by TAIC to CAA NZ

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Nov-2016 20:13	harro	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Source, Damage, Narrative]
31-Jul-2020 05:01	Ron Averes	Updated [Operator]
31-Jan-2022 15:51	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]