Two killed as planes collide in mid-air

27th July 2010

A flying instructor and a student have been killed in a mid-air plane collision in the Manawatu.

The crash happened when two Cessna 152s collided near the Feilding Aerodrome, 5.6km south-east of Feilding, about 3.30pm, police spokeswoman Kim Perks told NZPA.

"One of those aircraft has landed safely at nearby Taonui Airfield, the other one has crashed into a farmer's paddock on Durie Rd," Ms Perks said.

"We don't know at the moment what's happened, but there's obviously been some sort of incident between the two aircraft in the air."

Michael Bryant, the owner of Flight Training Manawatu, whose aircraft was involved in the collision, said the two killed in the Durie Rd crash were an instructor and a student.

The sole occupant of the second plane was not believed to have sustained significant injury.

Mr Bryant said the deceased instructor was a friend he had known for many years.

"A wonderful person," Mr Bryant said. "I'm really struggling to get my head around this. I'm struggling with all the emotions."

Mr Bryant was attending the opening day of a week-long aviation conference in Palmerston North when he was told of the accident.

Flight Training Manawatu has been operating for 20 years.

"We've never had to deal with anything of this magnitude before."

The training school was an associated aviation provider for Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, providing a full time Diploma in Aviation Science.

Police have cordoned off the airfield and Transport Accident Investigation Commission investigators were expected at the scene.

Two weeks ago another Manawatu plane crash left an instructor and student seriously injured.

Gary Skedgwell, 30, was on a commercial pilot's licence training flight from Hastings Airport with trainee Sam Metzger, 18, when the two-seater Air Hawke's Bay Piper Tomahawk crashed in the Ruahine Ranges, north of Palmerston North on Monday, July 12.

Mr Metzger was treated for chest and leg injuries in Palmerston North Hospital, before being transferred to Auckland Hospital today.

Mr Skedgwell, who suffered serious head, chest and leg injuries, was transferred to Hawke's Bay Hospital on Friday after being treated in Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit for nearly two weeks. - NZPA