KEY POINTS:
The pilot of a light plane that crashed into an Auckland vineyard yesterday just moments after six parachutists exited for safety has been praised for his quick-thinking.
Pilot Marc Saad walked away from the Kumeu crash unharmed after the aircraft's engine failed 10 minutes after take-off from Whenuapai airbase.
Through a spokesman, Saad told the Herald on Sunday he was lucky to escape uninjured.
At between 1500 and 2000 feet Mr Saad said he heard a bang and realised the engines had failed and he tried to restart them.
The six experienced jumpers exited as soon as they saw the smoke pouring from the plane's engines.
Seconds later Mr Saad brought the Cessna 206 down in the chardonnay vines of Kumeu River Winery, 27km north of central Auckland.
The plane flipped upside down and vineyard manager Milan Brajkovich said Mr Saad jumped from the plane and walked away.
"He didn't look injured at all, he was walking around with a shocked look on his face and he definitely wasn't smiling."
Keith Breeze, chief fire safety officer for the Aviation Sports Club which owns the plane, said Mr Saad had 25 seconds to turn the plane into the wind and pick a spot for an emergency landing.
"It's amazing how fast the pilot has to think at 2500 feet when the engine packs up," Mr Breeze told the Herald on Sunday.
"He's an incredible guy, we can't stress more what a good job he did."
The plane was carrying 140 litres of aviation fuel on board, and the fire service treated it with foam to suppress any fire risk when they arrived at the scene.
Police and the Civil Aviation Authority are conducting investigations.
- NZPA
