Two die in light aircraft crash in New Zealand
Two people died in a light plane crash today at an air force base in northern New Zealand, police said.
Eyewitnesses said the plane nose-dived and ploughed into the ground at the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Whenuapai near the city of Auckland.
Police Inspector Turepu Keenan said both occupants of the Cessna plane were killed in the crash. The base is used by plane and skydiving clubs.
The aircraft crashed at the end of the runway shortly after it apparently stalled, an eyewitness told 'TV3 Network News'.
“It seemed to fly over the air base. It did a very sharp right-hand turn and got into a stall situation,” he told the network. Then it just headed straight for the ground.“
Further details, including the identities of the plane occupants, were not immediately available.
“No one on the ground was injured in the accident and civil aviation will be investigating,” base spokeswoman Lisa D’Oliveira said.
