Heir dies in plane crash

A member of a prominent Far North family has been killed after his plane crashed in a field near Whangarei yesterday.

Stace Hopper, 27, died when a light plane he was flying crashed in a paddock about 3.55pm at One Tree Pt, 6km northwest of Marsden Pt.

Mr Hopper was a project manager with Hopper Developments, a family-run business based in Orewa and was involved with the multimillion-dollar development of Marsden Cove residential marina.

Paul Shanahan, marketing manager of Hopper Developments and a family friend, said Mr Hopper crashed just after takeoff and clipped a vehicle parked by the airstrip.

The car spun around and flipped over but a child inside was unhurt.

The child's father had driven Mr Hopper to the airstrip.

He was the oldest son and was being groomed to fill his father's shoes as chief executive. He described Mr Hopper, also a rally driver, as an outgoing and popular young man.