In brief
Two people died when a privately owned Cessna Skyhawk disappeared after descending from 3,100 to 1,800 feet. The aircraft vanished near the Bryant Range northeast of Nelson, with authorities citing mountainous terrain and difficult flying conditions as contributing factors.
Two people were killed in a light aircraft crash near Nelson on New Zealand's South Island late on Tuesday, Xinhua reported. The privately owned Cessna Skyhawk, capable of carrying up to four occupants, vanished after a steep descent from 3,100 feet to 1,800 feet, before being found south of Castor Peak.
According to Nelson Area Commander Steven Collins, the aircraft left Nelson Airport at roughly 9:10 a.m. local time and was reported overdue shortly before midday. Two rescue helicopters were dispatched to search northeast of the city as the flight disappeared from radar near the Bryant Range, about 35 kilometres northeast of Nelson.
Flight‑tracking data from FlightRadar24 confirmed that the Skyhawk reached a 3,100‑foot altitude before dropping to 1,800 feet in just 49 seconds. After that rapid descent, the plane was lost from radar, with no further trace until it was located on Tuesday evening in the remote zone south of Castor Peak.
Authorities attribute the crash to the region’s mountainous terrain and rugged valleys, which can make low‑altitude flights difficult, especially when flying below cloud cover. Xinhua relayed that experts said the similarity of valleys in the area could have contributed to the accident.