Russell glider pilot's death shocks club

Police collect evidence from the crash scene on farmland west of Kaikohe aerodrome. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The death of a life-long pilot in a gliding crash has shocked members of his tight-knit club.

The experienced pilot, Ricco Legler, 72, of Russell, took off from Kaikohe aerodrome early Thursday afternoon for what was supposed to be a local flight.

Club members raised the alarm when he hadn't returned by 5.30pm. A helicopter deployed from Whangarei by the Maritime New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre located the wreckage about 7pm in rolling farmland 3km west of the aerodrome. Police confirmed the pilot was dead and placed a scene guard on the site overnight.

A specialist police Search and Rescue team, with members from Whangarei and Kaitaia, recovered the body about 11.30am on Friday and collected evidence. The scene was blessed by Kaikohe kaumatua Ted Wihongi.

Debris was scattered over about 200m and investigations continued at the scene of the fatal crash.

Constable Jim Adamson, of police Search and Rescue, said the scene would be mapped by a member of the Serious Crash Unit, then handed over to the Civil Aviation Authority for a technical investigation into the cause of the crash.

Kaikohe Gliding Club secretary Keith Falla, of Omanaia, described Mr Legler as "friendly, outgoing and a a very valued member of the club". Although in his 70s he was young at heart.

Mr Legler, who had been flying since his youth and had been a club member for at least 20 years, was the last to take off on Thursday in his own self-launching, electric-powered glider. Mr Falla said he had no idea what had caused the crash.

Conditions were not ideal but would not have caused problems for an experienced pilot, with a cloud base around 4000 feet and wind that was fresh but not strong. With the weather unsuitable for long-distance flights the gliders stayed within easy reach of the aerodrome.

When Mr Legler didn't return Mr Falla tried calling him on the radio, thinking he may have landed at Kerikeri. There was no response so he alerted police Search and Rescue.

Kaikohe Gliding Club has 14 members from Whangarei, Kaikohe, Kerikeri and Hokianga. It is based at the aerodrome on Mangakahia Rd, about 5km south of town, and has four winch-launched gliders. Some members also own their own aircraft.

The club is based at Kaikohe aerodrome because it has a long grass runway suitable for winch launching.