Northland truck driver's 30-year, no-crash record ends on Mangamukas

This crash yesterday closed the northbound lane through the Mangamuka Gorge.

A Whangārei man who lost a trailer loaded with palm kernel on the northern side of the Mangamuka Gorge yesterday morning was unharmed, but was ruing the fact that his 30-year run of driving trucks without an accident had come to an end.

The Cates truck was travelling north, towards Kaitaia, and was only a couple of corners away from exiting the gorge when the trailer's lefthand wheels dropped over the edge of the seal.

"I knew it wasn't good when I looked back in the mirrors and saw the wheels in the air," the driver said.

He was unable to correct the trailer's momentum, although the truck remained on its wheels, while the trailer ended up on its side and teetering over the edge of the road.

Police were at the scene shortly after the accident, a little after 10am, while two Kaitaia Fire Brigade crews controlled traffic. The southbound lane remained open, even for very large vehicles.

The driver said he had driven through the gorge many, many times, and had never had a problem - until yesterday.