Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Investigators to arrive at site of double fatal light aircraft crash in the Kaimanawa Ranges

NZ Herald
24 Mar, 2019 04:32 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A Diamond DA42 Twin Star aeroplane of the type that crashed in the Kaimanawa Ranges. Photo / File

A Diamond DA42 Twin Star aeroplane of the type that crashed in the Kaimanawa Ranges. Photo / File

Investigators are due to arrive at the scene of a fatal plane crash in the central North Island this morning.

Two experienced flight instructors from Ardmore Flying School in Auckland died when a light aircraft crashed in the Kaimanawa Ranges on Saturday night.

The plane's wreckage was found about 11.30am on Sunday morning in steep terrain after being reported missing on Saturday night.

The bodies of the two men have been recovered, police said in a statement.

The Diamond DA42 Twin Star plane was last seen on radar about 40km south-southeast of Taupo. It was reported missing on Saturday night about 10pm.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said it had opened an investigation.

"A search aircraft was dispatched [Saturday] night but was unable to reach the area due to weather," said TAIC's chief investigator of accidents, Captain Tim Burfoot.

"Another aircraft was dispatched to the area at first light this morning and the wreckage was located in steep terrain in the area where the aeroplane was last observed.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The two occupants were reported to be qualified flight instructors."

Three commission investigators were expected to arrive at the site Monday morning.

The plane had left from Palmerston North and was flying to Ardmore Airport near Auckland, via Taupō Airport.

Ardmore Flying School chief executive Ian Calvert said the plane was carrying two experienced male instructors and he had been in touch with the families and friends of the men.

Discover more

Owners needed for Kaimanawa wild horses

10 Mar 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Two men confirmed dead after light plane crash

24 Mar 04:57 AM
New Zealand

Air tragedy: Pilots killed were 'very motivated young men'

25 Mar 12:11 AM

"It's the first fatal incident for Ardmore Flying School in a very long history of teaching pilots to fly," he said.

"It's been quite a shock to the team at work and today has been a day of supporting each other ... generally coming to terms with it.

"We're looking to support [the families] in any way that we can because how much more difficult for them it must be and we just feel for them immensely."

Calvert said they lost radio contact with the plane about 9pm last night as it was approaching Taupō.

"At this point there is no indication as to what may have occurred. They are both very experienced flight instructors."

Calvert said the area where the instructors crashed was very steep high country.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Sport

Whanganui teen rower to represent New Zealand in US

08 May 05:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Patients treated for smoke inhalation after manufacturing business fire

08 May 01:06 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Decision to shut overused recycling station under review after fiery backlash

07 May 09:51 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui teen rower to represent New Zealand in US

Whanganui teen rower to represent New Zealand in US

08 May 05:00 PM

The 16-year-old considers the opportunity a step towards her Olympic dream.

Patients treated for smoke inhalation after manufacturing business fire

Patients treated for smoke inhalation after manufacturing business fire

08 May 01:06 AM
Decision to shut overused recycling station under review after fiery backlash

Decision to shut overused recycling station under review after fiery backlash

07 May 09:51 PM
Weight of the worlds: Lifter shines on biggest stage

Weight of the worlds: Lifter shines on biggest stage

07 May 05:00 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP