Aviation Concerns

Accidents

To report an accident call: 0508 ACCIDENT (0508 222 433) 24-hour, 7-day, toll-free.

Send accident report forms to: ca005@caa.govt.nz

Report Occurrences Online

Safety Concerns

To report other safety or security concerns call: 0508 4SAFETY (0508 472 338) available office hours (voicemail after hours).

Report safety or security concerns by email: isi@caa.govt.nz

Complaint

Complaints or allegations of suspected offences should be made in writing to:

Attention, Administrator Law Enforcement
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
PO Box 3555
Wellington 6140

Fax: +64 4 569 2024

Low Flying

The minimum acceptable heights for flying are prescribed in Civil Aviation Rule 91.311 Minimum heights for VFR flights. Briefly stated, the minimum height an aircraft may operate over a city, town or settlement, is 1000 feet above the highest obstacle, except when taking off or landing. Generally, this is the height at which aircraft are flown when operated within the circuit of an aerodrome.

The minimum height over any other area is 500 feet. There are a number of exceptions such as when carrying out agricultural aircraft operations, when operating within a low flying training area, and when the bona fide purpose of the flight requires the aircraft to be flown at a lower height.

Aircraft Noise

The CAA is concerned about aircraft noise.  Under Part 93 of the Civil Aviation Rules, it is the CAA’s responsibility to investigate noise complaints in the noise abatement areas around three aerodromes: Auckland, Paraparaumu and Wellington.  Violators of noise abatement procedures may face fines of up to $1250 per violation.

The CAA also has the responsibility to investigate low-flying aircraft.  Low-flying means flights below 500 feet in a rural area, and flights below 1000 feet in a built-up area (for details, see Low Flying section above).  There are several designated low-flying areas around New Zealand in which flights below this height are acceptable.

If you are being bothered by aircraft noise which is not caused by an aircraft that is low flying unlawfully, you should take the following steps:

  1. Attempt to note the aircraft’s registration.  For New Zealand registered aircraft, the registration will be three letters (sometimes two on a helicopter), and sometimes preceded with the New Zealand designator, ZK.
  2. You can look up the operator of an aircraft on the Aircraft Register page if you know the registration letters of the aircraft.
  3. Attempt to contact the aircraft operator and inform the operator of your concern.
  4. Inform the CAA by calling: 0508 4SAFETY (0508 472 338), available office hours (voicemail after hours), or email: isi@caa.govt.nz.

Please note that the CAA has limited jurisdiction over noise complaints except for action against aircraft operators who breach the low-flying rule or violate Part 93’s noise abatement procedures at Auckland, Paraparaumu, or Wellington.  We are monitoring and noting all noise complaints, regardless of whether or not they occur at or near an airfield, but The Resource Management Act 1991 expressly excludes aircraft noise from a general noise complaint, except in the circumstances described above.

Aircraft Effluent Claims

Aircraft Effluent Claims

Agricultural Chemical Drift

There may be occasions when agrichemical use causes damage, usually through spray drift. Other instances of damage can occur, for example, through the use of the wrong agrichemical, or ground contamination through spillage.

The Resource Management Act 1991 gives the responsibility to Regional Councils for the control of the discharge of contaminants into the air. Most regions also have plans to address water and soil quality.

If you suspect there has been a spray drift incident, or spillage of agrichemical, whether as an agrichemical user or as a complainant, the first contact is the Regional Council for that area. They will either investigate the complaint, or forward it to the agency that will deal with it. In some circumstances more than one agency may be responsible for investigating an incident.

This link to the Local Government web site gives a directory of Council Websites.

If there are health concerns, contact the public health services listed under the "Hospitals" section of your local telephone directory.

Helicopter Frost Protection

Helicopter Frost Protection - Information for the public and winegrowers