Police were called to Motueka Airport at around 11:15am after a hard landing by a small aircraft.
A vintage plane that sparked a large emergency response after a hard landing skidded on grass before it was stopped by a tyre barrier at the southern end of Motueka Airport, the co-pilot says.
More than a dozen firefighters and several police officers rushed to the small airport 40kmnorthwest of Nelson at 11.15am today after being alerted to the landing, involving the 1948 de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk.
Neither of the two male occupants - the Nelson area-based pilot and owner, and his North Island-based co-pilot - was injured.
The co-pilot, who was sitting in the canary yellow plane’s front seat, told the Herald the pair were doing landing training when the aircraft failed to stop on landing.
“The aircraft skidded ... it came to a stop when we hit the tyre barrier.”
A 1948 de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk plane suffered a hard landing at Motueka Airport after skidding on landing, only being stopped by the tyre barrier at the southern end of the airport, the co-pilot said. 6 February 2026. Photo / Cherie Howie
There may have been “a bit of dew” on the grass, he said.
The plane, which he described as an “old training aircraft” and of which there were others in New Zealand, had suffered damage to a wing.
The plane was stopped by the tyre barrier (pictured in front of fire engine) at the southern end of Motueka airport, the co-pilot said. Photo / Cherie Howie
It is insured.
Fire and Emergency shift manager Lyn Crosson told the Herald crews from Motueka and Tasman Rural were at the scene.
They helped move the plane into a hangar area and made sure everything had cooled down.
Crews from Richmond, Kaiteri, Mapua and Nelson were also sent but were stood down before arrival.
The plane, at right, pictured at Motueka Airport after its hard landing. Photo /Cherie Howie
No fuel leaked from the plane, and no fire risk was identified by crews, said Crosson.
“No injuries by all accounts, no damage apart to the plane itself, just a wing I understand. Yeah, so could have been a lot worse.”
There are reports of a light plane incident at Motueka Aerodrome this morning. Image / Google Maps
St John said a nurse at the scene stood down ambulances that were on their way.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been notified.
