Light Plane Crash in Auckland today

[Dave Homewood]

From Teletext:

"Light Plane Crashes In Auckland"
Two men have survived a light plane crash south of Auckland.

The Cessna plunged into the mouth of the Wairoa River just before midday. It became almost totally submerged by the water.

However, police were able to rescue the pilot and passenger from the plane and do not believe anyone else was on board. The men suffered only minor to moderate injuries."

[Dave Homewood]

Teletext has now updated the info to read that the crash site was Clevedon. I guess the plane must have been operating from nearby Ardmore.

[Dave Homewood]

More here from this site
www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3334546a10,00.html

"Two men escape light plane crash
04 July 2005

A light plane with two people on board has crashed at Clevedon, south east of Auckland.


The crashed plane was a Cessna 172 from the Ardmore Flying School and it is now fully submerged at the mouth of the Wairoa River.

Flying school general manager Craig Hunter said neither of the two men on board were hurt, apart from a few bruises.

He said they were flying in the low flying area and were hit by a large flock of birds, possibly ducks.

He said they probably tried to turn out of the flock but stalled and hit the water.

The $300,000 aircraft was about five years old but it would be written off after being submerged in sea water.

One of the men was an instructor in training and the other man was a highly experienced instructor.

"They were in what is called the low-flying area over water and they were surprised by a large flock of sea birds.

"It looks like the plane probably stalled when they tried to turn."

He said some of the birds also hit the aircraft.

"We don't know the detail yet."

He said the low-fly area meant aircraft could fly as low as 15 metres.

"It is fully submerged in the water and we are working on recovery now because it is blocking a navigational channel up the Wairoa River," Mr Hunter said. "