Smoke fills plane mid-flight above Tauranga

Fire crews rushed to Tauranga Airport last night after a reports that smoke had filled the cockpit of a plane mid-flight.

The cock-pit of a five-seater plane, which was carrying passengers, had to be isolated after the heater malfunctioned and smoked out the front of the plane.

Mount Maunganui fire station officer Roger Pickett said the smoke had dissipated when the plane landed at Tauranga Airport about 6.30pm.