Biker flung to his death in Waituna West trail bike ride

No charges are being laid over the death of a biker at a charity trail ride, after officials found no break of health and safety laws.

Sam Stonnell, 25, died when he failed to take a corner at the Waituna West trail bike ride fundraiser on February 5, 2017.

For the first time, the circumstances of his death can be revealed.

He flew 16 metres through the air before hitting a bank and was killed instantly.

A Worksafe NZ investigation, released under the Official Information Act, said the ride had been running for 23 years, but it was not a Motorcycling New Zealand ‘‘permitted event’’.

However, officials found no problem with how the event was run.

The day of the crash, there was a break and fuel stop at 11.15am and then the first 20 riders continued on the trail. Stonnell was in this group.

They were riding along farm tracks when Stonnell passed another rider at speed on a 200-metre straight, while approaching a horseshoe bend.

He misjudged the corner, left the track at speed, still travelling straight ahead, and collided with a bank opposite the corner about 16 metres away.

Stonnell suffered fatal chest injuries.

The rear tyre was over-inflated and Coroner Tim Scott noted that could have caused the bike to have less grip and could have contributed to the crash.

He said the tyre may have been over-inflated to secure it to the rim and Stonnell might have forgotten to reduce the pressure before the ride.

High tyre pressure is likely to reduce traction, making a bike more susceptible to sliding out or causing a wheel spin. But it was concluded there was no evidence the motorcycle left the track as a direct result of decreased traction.

The trail ride was not a race and this was explained to participants.

The Worksafe investigation found there was no breach of the Health and Safety Act, so no enforcement was needed.

Stonnell’s parents were associated with the event in 2018 and were supportive of it continuing.