Northland glider pilot named

Police collect evidence from the crash scene on farmland west of Kaikohe aerodrome. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Police have named the Northland pilot who died when his glider crashed near Kaikohe last week.

He was Ricco Legler, 72, of Russell.

Investigations continued all weekend at the scene.

The alarm was raised about 5.30pm on Thursday when Mr Legler, a highly experienced pilot, failed to return to Kaikohe aerodrome after a solo flight.

A helicopter found the wreckage, on the Killen farm about 3km northwest of the aerodrome, about two hours later. Police handed the scene over to the Civil Aviation Authority on Friday afternoon.

An expert from the police Serious Crash Unit starting mapping the scene about 4.30pm on Friday and was expected to continue all day Saturday and into Sunday.

Wreckage was strewn over a distance of about 200m.

Kaikohe Gliding Club secretary Keith Falla, of Omanaia, described the pilot as "friendly, outgoing and a very valued member of the club".

Although in his 70s Mr Legler was "young at heart".

Mr Legler , who had been flying since his youth and had been a club member for at least 20 years, was the last to take off on Thursday in his own self-launching, electric-powered glider.

Mr Falla said he had no idea what had caused the crash.