Anzac Day crash airmen remembered in song

The caskets are carried to the military service funeral for the three RNZAF personnel that were tragically lost in an Iroquois accident on Anzac Day. Photo / NZPA, NZDF

A Ohakea colleague of the three Air Force men killed in the Anzac Day helicopter crash has recorded a tribute song which he is selling online to raise money for their families.

Chopper pilot Flight Lieutenant Tim Costley's has recorded Never Gonna Be The Same in honour of Hayden Madsen, 33, Daniel Gregory, 28, and Benjamin Carson, 25, who died when their Iroquois crashed in bad weather north of Wellington while flying to take part in Anzac Day commemorations in the capital last month, The Manawatu Standard reported.

He said the song was also for Squadron Leader Nick Cree, a member of the Air Force's Red Checkers aerobatic team who was killed during an training flight earlier this year, and Flight Sergeant Andy Forster who died last year.

Flt Lt Costley knew all five men well.

"People say that at least they died doing what they loved, and they'd all lived really full lives. I guess I'm trying to tie together these thoughts and see some of the positives, while at the same time acknowledging that all of these deaths are absolute tragedies," he said.

Never Gonna Be The Same is available for download for $1.79c on Apple's iTunes site.

Flt Lt said it would be great to see the track sell well. "We need this to go platinum so we can kick things off for the families. It really does mean a lot."

- NZPA