Airplane Crash at Foxpine Airpark Foxton

By KELVIN TEIXEIRA
The Civil Aviation Authority is to investigate the crash landing by a small plane in a paddock at the end of a Foxton airstrip last Friday.
Engine failure is suspected to have forced the pilot to land the Piper Cherokee in the paddock neighbouring Foxpine Airpark, with the plane running into trees and damaging its propeller, engine, nose gear and wings.
Neither the pilot nor the pass­enger, who were not from Horow-henua, were injured.
Sue Muir, who lives beside the paddock where the plane landed, said she was inside her house when she heard the crash.
"It sounded like corrugated iron being ripped off a fence. I went outside and saw the plane nosed into the trees," she said.
"The pilot and passenger were walking around outside, one ofthem on their mobile phone."
"I heard it was engine failure. They were doing touchdowns and gos, I think. They must have popped up near the end of the run­way and then the engine failed."
Ms Muir said that it was lucky" it did not happen the day before, when there were cows in the pad­dock. She had noticed an unusual rise in the number of aircraft flying overhead later in the afternoon.
"At least six planes and one helicopter,'-stickybeaks I think, flying over and having a look".
Civil Aviation Authority spokes­man Matthew Shoresaid the inci­dent was reported to the CAA and a review would be carried out. He said it appeared the plane's engine failed shortly after takeoff, forcing it to land in the paddock, which was not long enough for it to stop before hitting the trees.
Foxpine Airpark would not com­ment.

Probe into plane crash

Trees help: The Piper Cherokee which crashed into trees after a forced landing in a paddock beyond the runway at Foxpine Airpark.

The crash scene at Foxpine Airfield (Photo: Richard Torres/3 News)

By Lloyd Burr

Online Reporter

A small plane has crashed off the end of a runway at a private airport near Foxton this afternoon.

The private aircraft – a Piper Cherokee – had two people onboard believed to be a flight instructor and a student. One suffered a leg injury.

It crashed as it was performing at touch-and-go at Foxpine Airfield, a manoeuvre where the plane lands briefly before taking off again.

The incident was reported just before 1:30pm by Airways NZ, which is in charge of the nation's air space.

Police and the fire service are on their way to the scene.

Plane crash in Foxton air field 4-4-2013

A little light relief

Below are some Historical photographs of aircraft and pilots who visited Foxpine airfield in the past.

Richard Scott and Hamish Hancock

Courtesy of Foxton Historical Society

A Microlight airplane at Foxpine air field in 2007

Bi Plane tiger Moth ZKALX beside runway at Foxpine airfield.
Foxton Club rooms through trees at back.

Courtesy of Foxton Historical Society

Two CH701 re-feuling at Foxpine airfield on way to Raglan from Motueka 10-11-2012