Small plane crash near Whakatane

The pilot of a top-dressing plane which crashed near Whakatane this morning appears to have had a lucky escape.

Emergency services were called to the crash near Downard Road, White Pine Bush to the south east of the Bay of Plenty town at 10.21am.

Fire Service spokesman Steve Smith said the pilot was out and walking, and no one else was understood to have been in the craft when it crashed.

Two fire trucks from Whakatane and two from Edgecumbe arrived on the scene, but the craft was not on fire when crews arrived, Mr Smith said.

- NZ Herald and Herald Online staff