Two flown to hospital in Northland after airborne car hits tree in SH10 smash

Volunteer firefighters and St John medics carry the injured driver to a waiting rescue helicopter. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Two people have been airlifted to hospital after a crash on State Highway 10 in which a vehicle was catapulted over a farm gate before striking a tree and landing in a paddock.

The single-vehicle crash occurred about 9.30am on Tuesday, midway between Kerikeri and Kaeo, as the BMW sedan was heading north.

The female passenger, who suffered a broken leg, had to be cut out of the wreckage.

The male driver was taken to hospital with moderate injuries. Both were flown to Whangārei Hospital.

Two Northland Rescue Helicopters landed on a hilltop less than 30m from the crash scene.

A second Northland Rescue Helicopter comes in to land as St John medics work on the injured driver. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The cause of the crash is still under investigation but tyre marks and a debris trail at the scene suggest the BMW lost control on a sweeping right-hand bend, crossed onto the wrong side of the road, hit deep gravel on the shoulder and became airborne.

The car flew over a farm gate, which was undamaged, but left a gouge in a tree about 3m above ground level.

The BMW came to rest on its wheels in a paddock with the front bumper hanging from the tree. Damage to the car indicated a severe frontal impact.

Kāeo fire chief Jo Sweet-Bennett said firefighters attached a strop to the car to stop it rolling downhill while Kerikeri volunteers used hydraulic cutting equipment to remove a door pillar so the female passenger could be extracted.

The Mangōnui brigade was called out but not required.

A St John spokeswoman said two ambulances and two helicopters responded. Two patients were treated, one in a moderate condition and the other serious, and airlifted to Whangārei Hospital.

Police also attended.

St John medics and firefighters work on the driver while the first of two Northland Rescue Helicopters waits on a nearby hilltop. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Traffic control at the scene was complicated by large numbers of cars and trucks using SH10 due to the closure of SH1 at Mangamuka Gorge.

The crash occurred about 500m south of the so-called "chicken stop" near the Matauri Bay turnoff.

Two more crashes were reported in the Far North later the same day, both near Kaitaia.

One on State Highway One south of Kaitaia was reported at 11.56am, police said.

Kaitaia fire chief Craig Rogers said it was a single-vehicle crash involving a ute that ended up on its side in the middle of the road.

It appeared the ute had failed to take a corner for some reason, Rogers said.

One person was treated and transported to Kaitaia in a moderate condition, St John confirmed.

Another crash between a car and a motorcycle on Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd shortly after noon resulted in serious injuries to a motorcyclist.

The scene of the crash on Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd on Tuesday afternoon. Photo / Myjanne Jensen

A police spokesperson said the motorcyclist had been overtaking two vehicles when one turned right and the motorcycle clipped the nose of the vehicle.

The man appeared to have travelled 30m to 40m and landed in a ditch beside the road.

Two fire appliances, an ambulance and the Northland Rescue Helicopter were dispatched to the scene.

One person was treated and transported to Northland Base Hospital in a serious condition, a St John spokeswoman said.

At edition time yesterday emergency services were attending a suspected fatal accident on State Highway One south of Kawakawa.