A Southland farmer died when he became trapped under a quadbike after a crucial piece of equipment failed, a coroner has found.
David O’Callaghan, 59, did not return home when expected and was later found deceased under his quadbike on July 26, 2024.
Coroner Heather McKenzie found Mr O’Callaghan, of Waikaka, died from positional asphyxia.
At the time of his death he was operating a quadbike with a chow-cutter attachment, a wedge-shaped implement mounted to the front bull bar used to cut and flatten growing feed.
Mr O’Callaghan’s partner Tania Williams later told police the chow cutter was too low to the ground and it felt very heavy to turn the handlebars.
Mr O’Callaghan and Ms Williams were going to his mother’s place for dinner and were due to leave home at about 4pm.
Ms Williams thought that Mr O’Callaghan might have been in a hurry.
He did not return home at the expected time and his phone went unanswered.
Ms Williams and others started looking for Mr O’Callaghan and he was reported missing to police just after 8pm that evening.
He was eventually discovered with the quadbike on top of him in a large feed paddock.
Aimee McGregor and her son Kane Winter (who worked for Mr O’Callaghan) got the bike off him and called emergency services.
‘‘The terrain was slippery and extremely muddy such that the police vehicle could not reach it and they had to continue on foot and with the aid of a farmer’s bike.
‘‘Police observed a disconnected chow-cutter slightly dug into the ground. To police, it looked like it had gripped the ground while attached to the bike, potentially causing the bike to tumble and Mr O’Callaghan ending up underneath it.’’
Ms Williams told police that Mr O’Callaghan was very experienced with quadbikes “although like most farmers he would always go too fast”.
Mr O’Callaghan had rolled his quadbike two years in a row and Ms Williams thought he was very lucky not to have been injured on those occasions.
The scene was also assessed by the Serious Crash Unit (SCU), who found there were no mechanical faults contributing to the crash.
The SCU concluded that while traversing a hillside the chow-cutter fell to the ground and the quadbike travelled over it, causing the bike to roll to the right hand side.
Mr O’Callaghan fell from the seat and the quadbike ‘‘came to rest on top of him’’.
The SCU observed that ‘‘no indications of distraction, fatigue, or speed were displayed or considered factors in the crash. There was no evidence that the terrain or surface of the paddock contributed to or caused the crash; nor were any environmental causative factors identified’’.
The toxicology report also found nothing of significance.
WorkSafe New Zealand investigated the crash and elected to take no further action.
Coroner McKenzie decided not to make any further recommendations, other than the guidelines WorkSafe issued on the safe use of quadbikes and other related matters.
‘‘I find that Mr O’Callaghan died from positional asphyxia due to a quadbike rollover.’’
She extended her condolences to Mr O’Callaghan’s family for their loss.