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Post by skyhawkdon on Nov 19, 2009 14:21:26 GMT 12
www.stuff.co.nz/national/3078796/NCO-killed-in-explosion-at-WaiouruLATEST: A senior air force officer was marking bombs for disposal when he was killed by an explosion today.
The man died, and another was injured in the explosion at the Waiouru Military Camp in the central North Island.
Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said the death demonstrated the danger members of the Defence Force were under every day.
"He was undertaking particularly hazardous work with unexploded munitions. It is a tragic day for the New Zealand Defence Force. There will be a full inquiry, but he was essentially marking munitions for later disposal. It's an inherently dangerous task.''
The man was a senior non-commissioned officer in the air force, Mr Mapp said.
The Defence Force said the incident occurred in a training area at Waiouru Military Camp.
Another person was injured and taken to hospital.
Representatives from the force, along with police, are investigating the incident, with more details are likely to be released this afternoon.
Squadron leader Kavae Tamariki said the dead man's next of kin were being advised of the incident and his name would not be released until then.
Prime Minister John Key today said he was very saddened by the incident.
"My condolences go out to the family.
"I think the brave men and women of the New Zealand military constantly threaten their lives as they go about their duties and it's a tragic case when a New Zealander is lost in the service of his country."
Labour Leader Phil Goff said his heart went out to the families and friends of the victims of the explosion.
"As a former Minister of Defence, I am well aware of the dangers that our military personnel face every day." Mr Goff said.
"These dangers also apply during military exercises. Our military personnel know these dangers, but that does not lessen tragedies such as the one that occurred today."
- With NZPATragic news. I know who it is but will wait for the official announcement before saying any more. AKE AKE KIA KAHA
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Post by skyhawkdon on Nov 19, 2009 15:05:07 GMT 12
He has now been officially named. I worked with Andy on 2 and 75 Sqns over several years. Andy was also known as "Sloth", a nick name he picked up on recruit course which stuck! He was a loyal, dedicated family man. My deepest sympathies to his wife and children. I also know the other unnamed injured SNCO. He is OK. A very sad day for the RNZAF and Armament trade. RIP Andy.
LATEST: A senior Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer killed while marking artillery rounds for disposal has been named.
Flight Sergeant Andrew Bruce Forster was a 27-year veteran with a wife and three children and had recently returned from a tour in Afghanistan.
Flight Sergeant Forster, a member of the Defence Force's explosive ordinance disposal squad, was killed in what Air Force Vice-Marshal Graham Lintott described as a 'freak' explosion at the Waiouru Military Camp in the central North Island today.
He was killed as he and another Air force sergeant were marking the location of an unexploded 105 millimetre shell they had stumbled across the day before.
Flight Sergeant Forster was putting a wooden stake in the ground near the shell as part of standard practice when the explosion occurred.
Vice-Marshal Lintott said the shell was believed to have a killing distance of 50 metres and could cause shrapnel damage up to 250 metres away.
Flight Sergeant Forster's companion, who received only minor injuries, was in a state of shock and was extremely fortunate to survive.
Following the explosion the injured sergeant had radioed for help, but it was too late as Flight Sergeant Forster died on impact.
It was not known how long the shell had been there, but Vice-Marshal Lintott said it had been covered in rust.
He said some shells once fired failed to detonate and buried themselves but some eventually worked their way to the surface as in this case.
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Post by Barnsey on Nov 19, 2009 15:22:58 GMT 12
My thoughts go out to his family on this tragic day. RIP
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 19, 2009 15:40:31 GMT 12
Tragic. When i posted the original thread on this incident (which I have now removed) it was not known which service the dead man belonged to. Sad to read he was RNZAF.
My condolences to the NZDF, the person's colleagues, family and friends.
When I was at Hobsonville in 1990 there was an Armourer doing his senior course called Forster, I think he was known as Al. Would this be the same chap?
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Post by phil on Nov 19, 2009 16:42:50 GMT 12
We are a small trade and today's loss has been taken hard.
I worked with Andy right from my first posting off mechanics course, when he was my SGT on 75 SQN, on and off over the next 13 years until as recently as last month - he was my F/S at TS ARM.
Although most of us managed to hold things together at work, I would be surprised if I am the only one shedding a few tears now I am at home and have time to reflect. It was a shock opening up the stuff website and seeing his pre deployment portrait staring out at me.
After surviving a 6 month tour in Afghanistan, to be killed at Waiouru is hard to accept.
All our thoughts go out to his wife and family.
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Post by chewy on Nov 19, 2009 18:48:31 GMT 12
My thoughts go out to his wife and family as well. I knew Andy from my time at Ohakea.
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Post by 30sqnatc on Nov 19, 2009 19:15:12 GMT 12
A tragedy but at the same time a miracle the second person was only slightly injured. RIP.
Actually it been a bad few days for Defence. A young servicewoman died in a non-work traffic accident while on Pre Deployment Training for East Timor while her husband was serving in Afghanistan and the wife of a soldier died in the Foxton fire.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 19, 2009 22:33:40 GMT 12
Very sad indeed for all those NZDF people who have lost this week.
My condolences to you and the team Phil. This must be the first RNZAF loss on the job for a long time, and I recall how much it hits everyone in the service when a brother in arms is lost.
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Post by oldnavy on Nov 19, 2009 23:04:52 GMT 12
What an incredibly tragic event. My condolences go out to all concerned...very sad indeed.
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Post by Radialicious on Nov 19, 2009 23:20:36 GMT 12
I didn't recognise the name of the dead SNCO when I heard the news today. However, his nickname was immediately familiar to me and there were many stories told to me over the years by the guys that worked with him.
It's hard to believe that he could serve in war-torn Afghanistan yet get killed back at home.
Condolences to the family and the NZDF.
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Post by phil82 on Nov 20, 2009 0:13:36 GMT 12
Very sad indeed for all those NZDF people who have lost this week. My condolences to you and the team Phil. This must be the first RNZAF loss on the job for a long time, and I recall how much it hits everyone in the service when a brother in arms is lost. Quite right; the air force is a family, and losing one of their own hurts everyone. I recall that awful feeling of loss. |
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Post by phil on Nov 20, 2009 18:03:34 GMT 12
For those that wish to attend, Andy's funeral will be at 1400 at the OH Gym.
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Post by alanw on Nov 20, 2009 22:08:34 GMT 12
[quote Quite right; the air force is a family, and losing one of their own hurts everyone. I recall that awful feeling of loss.[/quote] Amen to that  Ensign was certainly Half mast, and somber mood at Whenuapai today. Condolences to his family and friends. RIP |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 14, 2010 18:30:23 GMT 12
Flight Sergeant killed in explosion failed to follow procedure
NZPA Last updated 16:07 14/06/2010
Human error may have contributed to the death of an Air Force flight sergeant killed when an artillery shell exploded at the Waiouru Military Camp last year, a defence force investigation has found.
Flight Sergeant Andrew Forster, a 46-year-old father of three, was killed instantly in the explosion, which happened as he was marking the device's placement in the Waiouru training area last November.
Brigadier Dave Gawn, who assembled the court of inquiry into his death, today told media Mr Forster had not followed several standard procedures, although the report could not confirm that this led to the accident.
"The court of inquiry has been unable to unequivocally ascertain the circumstances surrounding the detonation of the unexploded ammunition that killed Flight Sergeant Forster," Mr Gawn said.
"What we do know from the conclusions of the court of inquiry, there has been some form of imparting of energy which has caused the 105mm ammunition to explode."
Mr Gawn said that energy was likely imparted by Mr Forster.
Among the procedures not followed was that Mr Forster used a rock to hammer in a stake marking the placement, rather than a mallet or hammer.
"Perhaps the rock that was being used to hammer the stake into the ground parted or was let go of."
The stake was also put into the ground about 50cm away from the shell, rather than the recommendation of at least a metre.
Mr Gawn said Mr Forster had shown a lapse of judgement in not following procedures precisely.
"But whether that materially caused the accident to occur, we cannot ascertain that from the evidence that has been identified within the court."
A second sergeant survived the explosion by sheer luck, having coincidentally stepped behind a vehicle at that moment.
"It was fortuitous, and not as a result of sound practices being followed, that in the circumstances no other serious injuries resulted."
The vehicle was parked about six to eight metres from the shell, rather than the army requirement of 30 metres.
The investigation had emphasised the importance for procedures to be followed by the book, Mr Gawn said.
"I think it's focused our attention on ensuring that the procedures that are in place are followed appropriately," he said.
"It was evident in this particular case that, for whatever reason, they weren't followed to the level that we would expect."
Mr Gawn stressed that Mr Forster was not inexperienced, having been a qualified explosive ordinance device operator with the RNZAF for more than 17 years.
"I guess in part it shows that, irrespective of our training, irrespective of our experience, we are human and we do make mistakes, and this business that we're in is dangerous."
In a statement, Mr Forster's wife Karen said the report supported what the family believed: that her husband's death was the result of an accident.
"We will never know why the 105mm shell exploded that day and possible scenarios have been outlined based on subjective and objective evidence."
Mrs Forster said her husband's sudden death was devastating, but that he had known the risk involved in his job.
"He was pedantic and professional in his work ethic and fully focused on every job he undertook. Andy approached every situation in his life using all the resources available to him of past experiences, education, life skills, logic and caring," she said.
"In all the years I knew him, I cannot recall a time he took an unnecessary risk, instead choosing to err on the side of caution as he was fully aware of the cause and effect or actions and consequences, a high ethical standard he has instilled in our children."
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Post by corsair67 on Jun 15, 2010 0:25:12 GMT 12
That is not good news at all.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jun 15, 2010 12:37:15 GMT 12
I think Andy's wife has summed it up very well. That shell must have been highly unstable and was an accident waiting to happen. How many other people had walked or driven past it over the years? Andy only found it when he went for a pee!
A tragic accident and we are very lucky we didn't have two funerals as a result of what happened. It is also a timely reminder that bomb disposal, even in peacetime can be very dangerous work.
I'm sure some valuable lessons have been learned by the NZDF and Andy's death will not have been in vane.
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