Investigators visit Whangarei helicopter crash scene

As two investigators from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission visit the scene of the helicopter fatality in Glenbervie Forest tributes flow for the second man who died.

Derek Hammond was larger than life, always had a ready laugh, loved his hunting and fishing and was proud of his vehicles. Above all, he was a great mate to his friends and family, his brother said.

Mr Hammond was one of two men who died in Monday's crash. The other was pilot Allan Jessop, from Tangiteroria.

Mr Hammond's partner, family and friends are reeling at the death of the 49-year-old who grew up in Te Kopuru, near Dargaville, and had worked most of his life in the forestry industry.

He worked for Rayonier Forests as a supervisor and one of his favourite parts of the job he loved was flying in the choppers during aerial surveying work.

His younger brother Les Hammond said Derek loved building hotrods and spending time with friends and family.

Derek was one of three brothers; the third, William, also died in a forestry accident several years ago in Australia.

Derek and his partner Jackie had no children, and he is survived by his mother Teresa Hammond.

''Mum's just like everyone else right now, trying to come with terms with this,'' Les Hammond said.

"Derek was funny all the time, he always had a laugh," said family friend Kevin Morgan, from Te Kopuru.

"He was into everything. He loved his hunting and his cars. He was a real family man."

Several messages posted on social media refer to Mr Hammond's generosity, selflessness and support of friends and family.

Two members of the commission's air investigation team are in Whangarei following Monday's crash. Yesterday was spent primarily conducting interviews with the manager of the Glenbervie Forest, the helicopter company, witnesses, police and others.

The wreckage might be airlifted from the crash site later today but that depended on the site examination, weather and transport arrangements, a TAIC spokesman said.

The wreckage would be trucked to TAIC's technical facility in Wellington for detailed examination.

A safety investigator from Robinson Helicopter Company in the United States will also take part in the site examination and later work.

International convention allows the manufacturer of an aircraft to join the investigation of an accident involving the aircraft.

Meanwhile, the Department of Conservation will no longer allow the use of Robinson helicopters to transport its staff, volunteers and contractors.

Roger Stevenson, owner of Northland-based Salt Air Helicopters, has welcomed the decision and said he and others in the industry had lobbied the Government and aviation authorities on several aspects of commercial helicopter use.