Lucky escape: Pilot, passenger walk away from Tiger Moth plane's unscheduled landing

Emergency services are responding to reports of a small plane "going down" in South Auckland. Photo / Facebook

A pilot and passenger have walked away unscathed after their Tiger Moth bi-plane made an unscheduled landing in a rural south Auckland paddock today.

A police spokeswoman says the plane landed in a paddock, between Papakura-Clevedon Rd and Creightons Rd at 12.25pm, and the occupants have walked away.

A police spokeswoman said they received a report of a bi-plane losing power and "going down".

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, who has a property in the area, described hearing the plane's engine cut out.

"I was working outside and watching a vintage biplane fly overhead when it's engine cut out. The pilot tried four or five times to restart it but without success. He got the plane over the ridge where I live but it was clear he wouldn't make it back to Ardmore.

"Fortunately he was able to land it safely but it tipped on its nose when the wheels dug into the soft ground. He walked away from the plane so he wasn't injured.

"Ambulance, fire and police there within minutes which is reassuring about the quality of our emergency services."

Northern fire communications shift manager Craig Dally said the pilot and his passenger were able to walk away after the pilot made an emergency landing on the paddock, with the plane staying in tact.

"It wasn't a crash it was more like a forced landing and the occupants were able to walk away," he said.

Emergency services rushed to the scene before the pilot's condition was known.