9:40pm, a small aircraft stolen from ardmore airfield is threating to crash into the sky tower, police are in contact, it is currently circling above West Auckland.

Sorry thats all i got at this stage!

The said aircraft has crashed onto a beach near mission bay, apparently the pilot is on the shoreline (presumably alive).

The a/c has just crashed into the water off St Heliers.

Not known how many on board, nor the extent of any injuries.

Anyone know any more?

Unofficial update:

Only one person on board.

Apparently crashed near to National leaders Don Brashs house

http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,11964-4779478,00.html

One of my mates who lives on Tamaki Drive went across the road to the beach and was around 100m from it but couldn't really see much. I saw a short clip on the One News bulliten around 11pm and to me it looked like a Cherokee tail when it flashed up in the light. Apparently a middle-aged man was pulled out of the water with injuries and taken to hospital.

Now, none of that would have happened if you in unzud had adopted security checks, photo licences and airside cards like we have been forced into doing. you think this bloke would have paid his $200 to obtain all the correct checks and licences?.
It was just lucky that he wasn't one of Osama's mates or he could have killed and maimed thousands in some sort of terrorist attack. or thats what our government would have us believe anyway.

Wizard....agree to some extent....seems that most of the reports have come from the media(and we all know these reports to 100% true)when these jokers are not reporting they are practising pilots ....would rather wait until the official explanation is given by somebody "in the know".....hui

Airplane plunges into sea after evacuation

18.09.05
By Amanda Cameron


A man in a stolen plane forced the evacuation of terrified diners from Auckland's Sky Tower last night before crashing into the sea at St Heliers Bay.

A man was believed to have stolen a Piper Cherokee from Ardmore Airport around 7pm yesterday intending to fly into the Sky Tower.

The plane flew near the tower around 9pm and crashed into water about 50m off Kohimarama Beach around 40 minutes later.

The man was taken by police escort to Auckland Hospital by ambulance. His condition was listed as serious but not critical.

Diners and revellers at Sky City poured out into the street after a warning from emergency services prompted Sky City management to stage an evacuation soon after the plane flew past the windows of Orbit Restaurant.

Police said after the incident saying neither the plane nor any of the occupants were regarded as a threat to any buildings or people.

But witnesses at the scene - some who had been evacuated and others who had left the building voluntarily after cellphone warnings from friends and family - had been concerned for their safety.

John Ewins, who had been celebrating his 37th birthday with four friends at Orbit Restaurant, had been tucking into a seafood smorgasbord when he saw "a set of lights" pass by the window about 9.15pm.

Shortly afterwards, a waitress told them there was a bomb scare and asked them to leave the building.

Mr Ewins immediately left his table and headed for the stairs - all 57 flights - with eight others.

Kim Lyall, a St Heliers resident who witnessed the crash, said he was sitting outside when he heard a low-flying aircraft overhead.

"I ran outside and saw the plane. It was flying erratically. It seemed to slow down before hitting the water."

Michael Donahue, an American visiting on consultancy work, said plain-clothed policemen dived into the water to rescue the man.

"At one stage, they were dragging him by the neck. They were treating him like a real criminal. He couldn't move his hands or legs. They appeared to be broken. He was totally conscious."

Police told the Herald on Sunday the fact the incident was on election night was "an amazing coincidence". The police said they knew the man's motive but last night wouldn't say what it was or whether he was a New Zealander. He faces numerous charges.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY

Crickey the media can't get anything right.
It actually crashed off Kohi beach, and this is nowhere near Brashs house which is 2 suburbs away in Glendowie!

The aircraft belonged to Massey University. Still not sure of its rego - the one quoted (MBO) by the media is a Seminole I think.

Apparently an ex Massey employee.

6080ft

A flight instructor gone off the rails? Watch this space. I think MBO is a seminole now opperated by CTC

And no fighters to have a closer look. Might be something the new government coalition will need to look at.

Security at Ardmore consists of 30cm fence!

Just went down and had a look and was in time to see them bring it up and put onto a barge.

It is about 80 meters off shore form the Kohi yacht club and the weather is c%#p.

It is/was a PA28 could be MBQ.

I have some good pix if someone could tell me how to post them here?

Cherokee MBQ was here at AR yesterday..not here now..flew return to Hamilton around midday but wasn't refuelled on return. It was still parked outside the deserted Massey building at 1730 last night.
The 172 parked next to it looks to have been fiddled with last night too, not a Massey A/C but it could be the wind that has blown the cover half off. Interestingly there does not seem to be any cars parked nearby..a local perhaps? Plenty of cars left overnight at the Aeroclub bar though

Perhaps they should have scrambled an Aztec to take a look - the Aztec is perhaps the finest aircraft the unzud air farce can cross hire (just watch out for the dicky door)

I heard the Naval Helicopter SeaSprite buzzing around when I went to take a look, with that distinctive rotor noise. Maybe that was sent up?

the police chopper eagle (as-355) was tailing it apparently

A pic of the pilot appeared in the Herald on Sunday today - and he looks like someone I know, and an A cat instructor, too. I really hope I'm wrong...he'd be the last person I'd have suspected stressing out on anything.

If you have stress in your life, do something about it fast - before this happens to you....

I'm afraid you are not wrong

THe missus says after watching the news,"why don't they just send the airforce up and shoot it down?"

What air force? Here's a country with no means of defending itself. And they just voted the chick with a voice like she has cojones, back in as PM.

Well, I'd have to say that let's say NZ did have some fighter a/c....do you really think that there would be a green light to start shooting missles and/or bullets the size of your fist over a highly populated city? The same thing happened in the US (twice)and due to the speed (let's say 100kts) compared to 500kts of a fast jet and the fact that shooting it down would kill/injure more people than letting him fly around the city I think that the appropriate course of action was taken. More people would be injured if someone drove their family car into a restaurant than a cherokee flying into a building. Let's keep this in perspective. As much as the thought of the military being able to sort this problem out the reality is totally different. My sympathies go out to this guy (most people from Ardmore will know him). He has obviously had some major turmoil in his life and things have turned out very very bad for him. Not only is he never going to be abe to fly a plane again but he has some extremely serious criminal charges to face.