PNG crash survivor ex-Dunedin man

The New Zealand-born pilot who miraculously survived a plane crash in Papua New Guinea has been named as former Dunedin man Kelby Cheyne.

Mr Cheyne, 25, originally from Dunedin but now living in Toowoomba, inland from Brisbane, survived Tuesday's crash, Toowoomba's The Chronicle newspaper reported.

• Do you know My Cheyne? Email us

Mr Cheyne probably thrown from the aircraft on impact before it burst into flames, killing the four others, three Australians and a New Zealander, onboard. 

The chartered twin-engined jet he was co-piloting slid off a wet runway on Misima Island off Papua New Guinea, smashed into trees and caught fire. He suffered a badly broken leg and bruising but was conscious and able to speak with rescuers. He is being flown back to Australia.

Mr Cheyne's stepmother, Carmela, told The Chronicle of her family's relief after learning he was alive, despite initial fears all occupants of the plane had been killed.

The family was desperate to speak to him.

"There's always the thing in the back of your mind -- what if they've got it wrong?"

The family had heard mixed reports about what actually happened during the crash. One account was he was pulled from the wreckage by villagers and in another he was thrown from the cockpit just before the plane exploded.

"Once they get to him and we hear his voice and we know it's him, then we'll be OK," Mrs Cheyne said.

Among the dead were passenger Chris Hart, 61, from Sydney, Trans Air charter co-owner and pilot Les Wright, 59, from Queensland and Darren Moore, 44, from Leonora in Western Australia, who was a PNG civil aviation flight operations inspector.

The fourth victim, an employee of medivac company International SOS, was also a New Zealander, whose name has not yet been released.

The company's regional director, Michael Gardner, in a statement on the company's website, said it was a very difficult time.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened, our thoughts are with our colleagues' family and friends, as well as with the families of those impacted by the accident. International SOS is in constant contact with the immediate family and will continue to provide ongoing support to them and our employees as they cope with this tragedy."

The runway at Misima is short, made of crushed coral and very hard.

Australian television reported the runway at Misima has been covered with algae in the past, and possibly contributed to the plane losing control.

Misima police Chief Sergeant Moses Hilibobo said the survivor was thrown clear when the plane crashed.

"According to eyewitnesses, the plane landed, couldn't brake and crashed into palm trees," he told The Australian newspaper.

The airstrip had no fire fighting gear and potential rescuers could only watch as the aircraft burned.

Australian and New Zealand diplomatic staff flew to the island on Wednesday to supervise the retrieval of the bodies and to inspect the crash site.

Civil aviation authorities in PNG said it was still too early to say what went wrong but guaranteed a full and complete investigation.