Two charged in copter crash

Police have charged two Nelson men with manslaughter after the death of a helicopter pilot in a crash near Murchison last year.

Philip Heney, 52, a father of nine, was killed when his two-seater Robinson R22 helicopter crashed 100m from his Shenandoah home, 23km southwest of Murchison, about 5pm on August 26, 2005.

A passenger in the aircraft, Hamish Teddy, of Wakefield, near Nelson, survived the crash with serious leg injuries.

Detective Sergeant Mark Kaveney of Nelson police said two men aged, 55 and 58, had been charged with manslaughter.

He said the charges related to maintenance on the helicopter.

One man had appeared in Manukau District Court on Thursday and the other was to appear in Nelson District Court yesterday where it was expected he would be remanded until September 14.

The results of a Civil Aviation Authority investigation into the crash will be released next week.

- NZPA