Flying instructor has surgery on skull

Gary Skedgwell. Photo / Supplied

The flying instructor badly injured in a plane crash has had part of his skull removed which will be put back once the swelling goes down, his partner and family say.

Gary Skedgwell, 30, was on a commercial pilot's licence training flight from Hastings Airport with trainee Sam Metzger, 18, on Monday when the two-seater Air Hawkes Bay Piper Tomahawk they were in crashed in the Ruahine Ranges, north of Palmerston North.

He is in Wellington Hospital. His partner, Mary-Ellen Earl, said it had been a very difficult time but they were thankful for support from friends and family.

"This was a terrible accident and we are now concentrating on Gary getting better. We want to send our thoughts to Sam and his parents and hope he is also improving."

Mr Skedgwell has had surgery to remove a blood clot and relieve pressure on his brain, which has included removing a section of his skull which will be put back once the swelling comes down.

He has also had pins put in the top and bottom of his leg, which was badly broken. His other injuries include broken ribs, which should heal on their own, and a broken back that his surgeons plan to operate on in the next couple of days.

"Despite all this, Gary is doing okay," his family said.

"He is a fighter and we saw that last night when his doctors slowly woke him up from his induced coma. He was able to respond to commands, such as moving his limbs, which is a promising sign. He has since been put back to sleep and remains on a ventilator to help him breathe.

"While there is a long way to go and we're not out of the woods yet, we are remaining hopeful and the signs are good so far."

The family thanked the rescue crew, Palmerston North Hospital and the "fantastic" team in the intensive care unit.

Mr Metzger, who suffered serious chest and leg injuries, is in a stable condition in Palmerston North Hospital. His father, Nathan Metzger, said last night his son had been moved to a ward. He was due to undergo leg surgery yesterday but he would now be operated on next week.

Mr Metzger said his son had no memory of the crash.

The Civil Aviation Authority has ruled out engine failure as a cause of the crash and said its investigation was continuing.

The aircraft has been taken by helicopter to Palmerston North where it will be assessed by insurance investigators before being returned to Hawkes Bay.