A memorial service for former Rotorua pilot Chris Hansen, 37, killed in a plane crash in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, will be held in about three weeks.
His mother, Julie Hansen, told The Daily Post Mr Hansen's wife Janice and their three children would returnto Rotorua from Papua New Guinea on March 10 and arrangements would then be made for a memorial service celebrating the former Rotorua Boys' High School student's life.
Mr Hansen and fellow pilot, Aucklander Richard West, 40, died when their Twin Otter plane crash landed near Wobagen in the Star Mountains early on Tuesday afternoon.
The cabin attendant and eight passengers survived the crash with only minor injuries.
Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF) general manager Mike Jeliffe said the pilots' bodies were being flown to Port Moresby yesterday for post mortem examinations as part of a coroner's inquiry into their deaths.
Three senior MAF staff had visited the crash site to carry out initial investigations and a Civil Aviation Authority accident investigation team was expected at the site on Monday.
"We have no idea at the moment what caused the crash, whether it was pilot error or something mechanical," Mr Jeliffe said.
The cabin attendant and passengers were to be interviewed yesterday, he said.
The two pilots were based in the town of Telefomin with their wives and children.
Mr Hansen had worked for MAF for 10 years, seven of them in PNG, while Mr West had flown with the company for 11 years, three of them in PNG.
