A microlight pilot escaped injury when his aircraft crashed near the Taramakau River mouth yesterday.
Emergency services were called to the site about 3.10pm. Sergeant Brett Cooper, of Greymouth police, said the machine stalled just after takeoff, crashing into a paddock at Serpentine Beach.
Civil Aviation spokesman Bill Sommer said they would investigate but would rely on a report from the pilot rather than send an investigator to the crash site.
"We'll see if we can determine the cause that way - usually we can. I'd be surprised if the aircraft wasn't destroyed, but we don't know that."
Mr Sommer said he understood the microlight was not far off the ground when it stalled.
