Coroner finds death by misadventure

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 521, 1 February 1994, Page 4

Coroner finds death by misadventure

At an inquest held in the Ohakune District Court Wednesday 26 January, Waimarino coroner Paul Brown found that Francis Charles Olsen, 48, died by misadventure in the Erua State Forest, 3km north-west of the Makatoke Viaduct (halfway between Ohakune and National Park) on 2 March 1993. Ohakune police constable Stuart Ngatai, who attended the incident, presented testimony from three witnesses who were all members of the bush gang with whom Mr Olsen was working. They were Ian Sonny Tata, Damon Wise and John Adams. Each one of them testified they were working with an experienced bushman - Frank Olsen - who would have known that being present in a skid area during tree felling and limbing operation was prohibited. None of them noticed that Mr Olsen had entered the skid area and it wasn't until loader driver John Adams was lifting tree trunks, branches and foliage that they noticed the inert figure of Mr Olsen under the felled timber in the skid area. Work was stopped immediately and, when no pulse was found, emergency services were called. Coroner Paul Brown found that Mr Olsen had died at approximately 11.00am on 2 March 1993 as a result of injuries from a falling tree trunk and from his chainsaw.