Helicopter crash pair ‘very, very lucky’
A flying instructor and a trainee pilot avoided serious injury after their Kapiti Aero Club helicopter crashed on farmland near Waikawa Beach.
The crash happened about 1.20pm on farm land near Drake St.
Senior Sergeant Sam Gilpin said two people, an instructor and a trainee pilot, were in the crash. One was taken to Palmerston North Hospital with minor injuries.
Police believed the trainee was in control of the helicopter, which belonged to the Kapiti Aero Club.
Gilpin said it was not yet known why the helicopter crashed, but it had ‘‘substantial damage’’.
‘‘They are very lucky. Any crash with an aircraft is serious, so they are very, very lucky.’’
A police spokesman said later on Thursday: ‘‘From my understanding it was more of a heavy landing, rather than a crash.’’
David Keeling, who owns the farm where the incident happened, said he was called about 2.15pm and told a helicopter was in his paddock.
He said the paddock was a lowfly zone for training aircraft, and the helicopter was on its side.
‘‘It looks expensive, lying on its side with all the rotors bent.’’
The helicopter had curled rotor blades and one door hanging open.
It lay on a slight ridge, between a water tank, fence and a lone cabbage tree.
The landing site was about one kilometre south across farmland from the end of Walkers Line.
Kapiti Aero Club president Greg Bishop said the helicopter was a Cabri G2 operated by the club. He described that model of chopper as ‘‘hardy’’.
The club was grateful the two occupants had not suffered serious injuries. He would not comment on what happened, except to confirm it was a training flight. A Palmerston North Hospital spokesman said one man from the crash was brought to the hospital, and was in a stable condition. The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating.