March 10, 2009

A commercial pilot and his passenger are dead after their tandem hang-gliding flight went wrong this morning.
The crash happened about 10.15am at the foot of The Remarkables mountain range, near Kingston Rd in Queenstown.
Police confirmed the commercial pilot, who worked for Queenstown company Skytrek, and his passenger, a volunteer firefighter who was in Queenstown for a conference, were killed.
Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Bill Sommer said an investigator was on his way to Queenstown investigate the accident.
Detective Sergeant Grahme Bartlett, of Queenstown police, said the hang-glider was one of two which took off from Remarkables Knoll.
One hang-glider landed safely but the other crashed in Boyd's Paddock, off Kingston Rd, Kelvin Heights.
Skytrek specialises in guided hang-gliding, allowing tourists to fly with an experienced pilot.
According to Skytrek's website, the company was established in 1992 and has flown more than 39,000 customers.
It has five pilots on the staff.
Skytrek owner Ian Clark has twice represented New Zealand in the World Hang Gliding Champs and has held the New Zealand hang gliding distance record for 11 years.