Air Fiordland flights restart after death crash

Air Fiordland planes were back in the air yesterday - two days after one of the company's planes crashed, killing six people.

Air Fiordland chief executive Russell Baker said: "It's business as normal - as much as it can be in the circumstances.

"Everybody is pleased to be back at work. They have worked through the issues involved."

Flights stopped after the accident on Saturday. Since then, all planes had been thoroughly checked and pilots had been assessed, said Mr Baker.

He was confident the company's fleet of fixed-wing aircraft were safe and pilot training exemplary.

"No matter what you do in life you've got to have your wits about you," he said. "But the training that goes with any company operating in this region is extensive to the point that our people go in there knowing what they're doing and how to go about it."

Pilots in the company were shocked by their colleague's death, but had wanted to return to the air, he said.

On Saturday at 10 am a single-engine Cessna 207 with two New Zealanders and four tourists on board crashed between Te Anau and Milford Sound.

The crash happened about 61m below the ridge on the Gertrude Saddle.

Those killed were pilot Andrew David Robins, 25, of Queenstown, and his five passengers: Gordon Ross, 34, his wife Angela, 29, both of Scotland; Canadian couple George Edward and Marilynn Marie Hunter, 65 and 64 respectively; and former Invercargill man Wayde Clarke, 21.

Mr Robins was flying with another Air Fiordland plane when the crash happened just 11km, or two to three minutes' flying time, from Milford.

A search was launched after the first plane landed and could not raise the second plane by radio. The missing plane was found by helicopter about 10.30 am.

Air accident investigator Ken Mathews said yesterday that initial investigations had provided some clues to the crash.

"We found the initial impact point, which was about 35m from where the main wreckage was. It appeared to be a right wingtip but I'm not sure why that's occurred at this point," he said. The pilot was experienced and the weather good.

- NZPA