Witness describes light aircraft crash at Pauanui Beach Aerodrome, Coromandel

Plane crash in Pauanui. Video / Supplied

A light plane landed with a thud, briefly became airborne again and then – its landing gear damaged – veered sideways out of control through an airfield fence before coming to rest metres from a home, a witness says.

One person on the plane – a two-seater Fly Synthesis Storch – was uninjured in the crash about 10.15am at Pauanui Beach Aerodrome, in Coromandel district, a police spokeswoman told the Herald.

But the witness, a commercial pilot, spoke to those involved and said two men were actually on board when the plane crashed.

“They weren’t injured, just in a bit of shock.”

The Fly Synthesis Storch aircraft came to rest metres from a home after a crash landing at Pauanui Beach Aerodrome. Photo / Supplied

The witness, who didn’t want to be named, said the plane hit with such a thud they felt the vibration through the ground.

“The left [landing gear] gave way when it landed and it skidded and bounced through the air, because it still had a bit of lift.

“Then it went into the golf course fence … it broke through the course fence parallel with the airfield … and then into the neighbour’s fence.”

Two men escaped injury after a crash landing that left their light plane against the fence of a residential property at Pauanui Beach Aerodrome. Photo / Supplied

The plane appeared to have suffered damage to its landing gear and tail.

“The plane did well to hold up, I guess because it was coming in to land, so there wasn’t as much speed.”

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