Merged: Heli - Plane Mid Air, Kapiti.
Two dead in mid-air smash
LATEST: A light plane and a helicopter have crashed after colliding in mid-air above Paraparaumu, north of Wellington this morning.
It is understood two people from the helicopter were killed.
The collision appeared to occur above the Placemakers store about 11.15am. It is understood the crippled helicopter crashed into Placemakers and the light aircraft came down over Dennis Taylor Court, narrowly missing a house.
It is believed no customers or staff at the hardware store were injured.
It has been reported that the plane's pilot, the sole occupant, was alive when he was pulled from the wreckage. One eye witness told NZPA the pilot was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Eyewitness Anne Russell said she was watching the aircraft and thought they were getting too close to each other.
"Then the left wing of the plane heading west toward the airport clipped the tail of the helicopter that was heading south - broke the wing off the plane which spun to the ground. The chopper seemed to carry on in a straight line for a brief moment, then plummeted straight down to the ground at high speed.
"The scream of the chopper falling will haunt me for a while."
Emergency services from Wellington to Otaki are responding en masse to the crash, which is understood to have also caused serious injuries.
Inspector Steve Darroch from Wellington Police said police were dealing with two separate crash scenes.
Police were yet to determine how many people were on the plane and helicopter.
Firefighters, ambulance staff and police were at the scene.
NZPA