Officials on way to PNG crash site

The New Zealand High Commissioner and Australian government officials are on their way to a remote plane crash site in Papua New Guinea where one New Zealander and three Australians died.

High Commissioner Marion Crawshaw and Australian officials from the High Commission in Port Moresby flew early this morning to Misima, in Milne Bay Province, on PNG's southern tip where a chartered Trans Air plane slid off a wet runway and burst into flames yesterday afternoon.

• NZers in deadly PNG plane crash

The plane's New Zealand co-pilot is the only survivor and is in a local hospital.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed three Australians and a New Zealander died while one New Zealander survived the crash.

The surviving New Zealander, an Australian permanent resident, received heavy bruising but was conscious and able to talk, he said.

A government official in Port Moresby told AAP they want to get the survivor to a major centre as soon as possible.

One of the fatalities was 61-year-old marine pilot Chris Hart, of Sydney, who was a passenger on board the jet, Brisbane-based Australian Reef Pilots confirmed.

He was on his way to guide a ship from Misima, about 500km southeast of Port Moresby, through the Great Barrier Reef.

New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was seeking further information.

Misima police Chief Sergeant Moses Hilibobo told The Australian newspaper last night: "According to eyewitnesses, the plane landed, couldn't brake and crashed into palm trees. It was a small twin-engined jet.

"Four people were killed -- actually they were burnt in the flames when it (the plane) crashed on landing."

The sole survivor, thrown clear when the plane crashed, was believed to be the co-pilot, Mr Hilibobo said.

A local, Eluida Killion, also told the paper a rescue team, including local police and government officials, had tried to help but been unable to do so because the "plane had lots of flames and fire".

"When they got there, there was not much they could do because the plane was already on fire," Mr Killion said.

Trans Air, which runs a charter and medivac service in PNG, is linked to the now defunct Australian airline Transair, which went into liquidation after a 2005 crash at Lockhart River in north Queensland in which 15 people died.

In August last year 13 people were killed in a PNG plane crash, including nine Australian Kokoda Track trekkers.

PNG's rugged landscape and unpredictable weather makes for incredibly tough flying conditions but a lack of institutional support for aviation safety has also plagued the industry.