A long-serving flight instructor killed in a light aircraft crash near Nelson has been remembered as a “well-respected and much-liked member” of his flying club.
Police today named Nicholas Charles Taylor, 67, of Alexandra and Alain Henri Copine, 76, from Belgium as the victims of a rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nelson-plane-crash-taic-opens-inquiry-after-two-people-killed/KH6GWW62PBAEBEOZFJZWV3BSUE/">crash in remote terrain near North Castor Peak in the Bryant Range on Tuesday.
Taylor was a Central Otago Flying Club member and served as a chief flight instructor for many years.
Club president Kurt Verduyn said they were “deeply saddened by the loss”, describing Taylor as a “valued member”.
“He was a well-respected and much-liked member of our club and the wider local flying community, and his contribution to the area will be remembered,” Verduyn said.
“Our thoughts are with Nick’s family, friends, colleagues and everyone who knew him at this difficult time.”
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has opened an inquiry into the crash.
Chief investigator of accidents Louise Cook said the inquiry would focus on the cause of the crash and identifying lessons to improve transport safety.
The aircraft, a Cessna 172P Skyhawk registered ZK-BFQ, departed from Nelson Airport about 9.10am on Tuesday.
Police were notified shortly before midday that the plane was overdue, prompting a search co-ordinated by Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre.
Two rescue helicopters from Nelson and Wellington were deployed before the wreckage was located about 20km northeast of Nelson.
According to Flightradar24, the plane reached an altitude of 944m before dropping to about 550m in 90 seconds.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it was working with police and other agencies to establish the circumstances of the incident.
Mayor Nick Smith said there was sadness in Nelson after the loss of two lives.
“Nelson is a small community and any tragedy of this sort does have reverberations right through the family and friends of the deceased, albeit at this stage we do not know whether the victims are in fact from Nelson or from further afield,” he told NZME last week.
Emergency services pulled out all the stops to rescue the passenger and pilot, Smith said.