Sad news indeed...
A female flight instructor died and a male student pilot suffered moderate injuries after a small plane crash in the Eastern Bay of Plenty tonight.
The Cessna 152 crashed this evening around 5pm near Ruatahuna, north west of Lake Waikaremoana in the Urewera National Park.
Northern fire communications shift manager Tony McDonald said an 18-year-old aviation student had walked away from the crash to get help.
The pair were the only ones on the plane. Police said the pilot's name would not be released until next of kin were advised.
Rotorua based BayTrust and Taupo based Lion Foundation rescue helicopters attended the crash.
BayTrust rescue helicopter base manager Barry Vincent said the aircraft was in dense vegetation in a remote area.
"We took the male patient back to Rotorua Hospital," he said St John regional operations manager Brent Neilsen said an ambulance was dispatched with the helicopters.
"St John paramedics were winched down to the site from the helicopters," Mr Neilsen said.
Police Inspector Donovan Clarke said the flight instructor's body would be recovered from the crash site in the morning. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will be investigating the crash.
CAA general manager safety information John Kay said investigators were flying to the site tonight.
"They will start the investigation as soon as it is safe to do so." Mr Kay said he did not yet know what had caused the crash or how long the investigation would take.
I remember thinking this afternoon that at least no lives were lost in the previous 2 prangs...then read this several minutes ago.
Condolences to family, friends and colleagues.
LP