Plane crash in Tauranga

UPDATED: 6:19pm

: A couple whose light plane crashed while coming into land came away with minor injuries.

Civil Aviation Authority communications manager Mike Richards told the Bay of Plenty Times last night that the couple had been doing a practice flight in their Murphy Super Rebel 2500, which is similar to a Cessna, ahead of their plans to fly their plane down south.

The plane crashed after it over ran a bank at the end of runway and there was some damage to the aircraft, he said.

Mr Richards said the pilot had a current licence and the "minor accident" was being investigated by Civil Aviation Authority safety investigators, he said.

Pilot of the Rotorua-based BayTrust Rescue Helicopter, Ben Fry, said the 69-year-old local woman in the plane was flown to Tauranga Hospital with minor leg injuries.

St John staff had stabilised her when the helicopter arrived and the helicopter was used due to the rough terrain and remote location of the accident. The area was not accessible by road.

4:27pm: A woman has been injured in a light plane crash.

Northern Fire Communications shift manager Megan Ruru said a 111 call came in about 3.34pm about a light plane crash.

The plane has come to rest on the side of hill about 2km along Waitao Rd, resulting in a small fuel leak and a woman, whose condition was unknown, was being attended to at the scene.

Ms Ruru said no further information about the incident was available at this time.

The Rotorua rescue helicopter has also been called to the scene.

EARLIER: It is understood a light plane has crashed on farmland near Kaiate Falls, south of Papamoa Beach.

Emergency services are on their way.

More soon.