Dornier Do 228-202, ZK-VIR, was carrying out a positioning
flight from Westport to Christchurch on the South Island of New
Zealand. At about 50 NM north of Christchurch, while cruising at
10,000 feet, both pilots reported becoming 'giddy' and close to
fainting. The pilots turned off the cockpit heating and directed
external air into the cockpit. A PAN call was made and the aircraft
descended to the area minimum safe altitude of 9,000 feet. The crew
elected to continue to Christchurch where they were able to make a
safe landing.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) of New
Zealand initiated an investigation into the incident, TAIC
reference: 07-002. TAIC investigators obtained the cockpit voice
recorder (CVR) from the aircraft and requested assistance from the
Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) to recover any
information that may have been recorded. In accordance with clause
5.23 of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation,
the ATSB appointed an Accredited Representative to assist TAIC and
initiated an investigation under the Transport Safety
Investigation Act 2003.
The CVR was transported to the ATSB audio laboratory in Canberra
for examination in the custody of a TAIC investigator. The CVR
information was downloaded on the 11 April 2007. The CVR and copies
of the recovered information were provided to the TAIC investigator
to be transported back to New Zealand.
The TAIC is responsible for releasing a final
investigation report regarding this occurrence. Once it has been
completed, a copy of the TAIC investigation report (07-002) may be
found at: www.taic.org.nz or
by contacting:
TAIC
PO Box 10-323
Wellington 6036
New Zealand