Architect, wife died pursuing love of air, sea

By Suzane McFadden

Luciano Nustrini's lifelong fascination with the air and the sea ultimately led to his death on the Hauraki Gulf.

The 70-year-old Italian, a celebrated architect, and his wife, Giuliana, died when their two-seater plane crashed into the water on Saturday.

They had been flying over the Around Alone race fleet. A skipper who had flown with Mr Nustrini the week before made the mayday call when he saw the plane go down.

Mr Nustrini was a world-renowned architect who designed airports. He was also a jet test pilot, champion air racer, astronomer, sailor, photographer and yachting journalist.

The couple and their five children came to live in Auckland from Italy 15 years ago.

The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating the crash and will decide whether to retrieve the plane wreckage, lying 50m underwater.

The Italian-designed plane, a Falco two-seater built in 1956, was brought to New Zealand by the Nustrini family.

Mr Nustrini had taken Italian solo round-the-world skipper Giovanni Soldini on a flight over the gulf last week.

Soldini said yesterday that he recognised the plane as he saw it crash, 8km south of Little Barrier Island.

He had watched the plane circle the race fleet about 300ft up when it did a steep right turn and dived into the sea - directly in front of another Around Alone skipper.

Soldini radioed the skipper, American Brad van Liew, to warn him that a plane had crashed in his path.

Van Liew, a commercial pilot, sailed to the site of the accident, but there was no sign of wreckage. "I could only smell aviation fuel," he said.

The Coastguard recovered the two bodies and pieces of fuselage on Saturday night.

Ten years ago, Mr Nustrini began lecturing at the School of Architecture in Auckland and until last year he continued to teach at the University of Florence for six months of the year.

A senior lecturer at the Auckland school, Ross Jenner, said Mr Nustrini was an international expert in airport design.

"He was a very distinguished man who collaborated on several of the world's large airports."

Mr Jenner said Mr Nustrini was an excellent pilot - in Italy he had tested jet fighters and airliners.

He also loved astronomy and had built an observatory at his Titirangi home.

The Nustrinis became interested in yachting when they moved to New Zealand. Two of their sons, Giovanni and Lapo, have sailed in legs of the Whitbread round-the-world race.

Mr and Mrs Nustrini crewed together in their Flying Fifteen yacht at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.

Mr Nustrini had become a well-known face at yachting events in Auckland and wrote for an Italian sailing magazine.