Local dad's concern after surprise falls from sky

Fred Stevens with his daughter Anjoescha Stevens, 3, and the remnants of their deck chair, destroyed by a falling fertiliser block. Photo/Stephen Parker

A Lake Tarawera man fears his 3-year-old daughter could have been killed by what he believes was a slab of fertiliser that fell from the sky on to his deck, destroying a wooden chair.

Fred Stevens was shocked to discover one of his deck chairs had this week been "crushed to smithereens", with a white, rock-like substance covering the area.

"It was only when I took a closer look that I realised it was what appeared to be fertiliser pellets and remembered seeing the ... plane on Monday.

"What first struck me, other than that I wouldn't be able to sit in my chair anymore, is that my 3-year-old daughter was outside watching that plane and, had the fertiliser fallen on her head, it would have killed her instantly - it would have killed any of us instantly."

The debris and smashed chair left by what is believed to be a fallen slab of fertiliser. Photo/Stephen Parker

He estimated the lump of what he believes was fertiliser would have been about the size of a football, or slightly bigger.

"It's covered our entire deck area, there are even spots around the driveway below. It certainly wasn't just a little dusting."

Mr Stevens said he had noticed the plane, which in his opinion was flying low.

"I'd imagine this kind of thing wouldn't happen very often."

He said he had contacted the Civil Aviation Authority and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council about his concerns.

"I just wanted to know whether there were regulations."

A Civil Aviation Authority spokeswoman confirmed it had received a call from Mr Stevens and was waiting for formal notification before it could investigate.

A regional council spokeswoman said the council had received Mr Stevens' complaint.