Tributes flowed yesterday for a Christchurch family of four killed in Monday's plane crash near Wanaka.
Aircraft engineer Paul Macdonald (50), his wife Kate Macdonald (43), a flight instructor, and their two children, Georgina (7) and Benjamin (5) died when their Cessna 185 fixed-wing plane crashed near the north branch of the Motatapu River.
Mrs Macdonald was a highly qualified Cessna instructor and had been running her own flying school. Mr Macdonald was one of the country's most pre-eminent Cessna experts and also a major figure in jet-boating circles.
Police have not confirmed which one of them was flying the plane at the time of the crash.
The four bodies were recovered on Monday night and taken to Christchurch yesterday.
Mr Macdonald's older brother Ken, of Swannanoa in Canterbury, said the family had been working at the Wanaka A&P Show over the weekend and staying with aviator friends in Wanaka.
The crash happened while they were on their way from Wanaka to visit friends at Branches Station, near Queenstown. They had planned to return home to Christchurch yesterday.
The four regularly flew together as a family in the Cessna.
''The plane to them is their car ... they've done a lot of hours with the kids and everybody on board.''
The couple had flown all types of fixed-wing aircraft for many years, but Cessnas, particularly the 185 model, were their main interest.
''We're devastated. We cannot believe that with that much experience in the cockpit ... that an accident like this could happen.
"Both of them are very well-versed at flying through mountains ... they train people to fly through mountains, for goodness sake.
"Paul has flown several aircraft back from Australia and things like that, so he's got a huge amount of experience in dealing with the weather.''
Paul Macdonald, who had a child from an earlier marriage, ''lived and breathed planes'' and was extremely cautious.
''The many times I've been with him and we haven't flown because the weather's not right.
"So that's what is hard to handle, that's why we're all so devastated. You'd think they wouldn't make that mistake, especially with the kids on board, [wouldn't] put them into that position.''
Hugh Robinson, who bought Canterbury Aviation from Paul Macdonald - a company he set up 20 years ago - said the accident was a ''terrible tragedy, affecting so many people''.
''They were really loving people who had a beautiful family environment, and were in a good space and having a good time in life.''
Queenstown aviator Jules Tapper said he knew Mr and Mrs Macdonald well and the experienced pair would have chosen their route carefully.
''The people involved in this were extremely nice people, were extremely experienced and had a bloody good plane,'' he said.
''It's a very, very, tragic event which is quite unexplained.''
Posts on a Cessna enthusiasts' Facebook page also remembered the pair yesterday.
Nick Wyngaarden said their deaths were a ''huge blow'' to New Zealand's aviation community.
''Lost two of the best and there [sic] beautiful kids. Dark day.''
David Murray said a ''great aviation family'' had been taken.
''Paul was my mentor. They were on their way into see my brother. RIP xxxx.''
Yesterday, Cotswold School where the children attended was open, but it brought in the Ministry of Education's traumatic incident team to co-ordinate appropriate support for students, parents and staff.
''The Macdonald family are well known to many in our community and will be dearly missed,'' principal Stephen Harrison said.
''Naturally our staff, students, parents and members of the wider school community are deeply shocked.
''Our love and thoughts are with the family and friends of Paul, Kate, Georgie and Ben.''
A demonstration of Cessna's latest aircraft will go ahead in Wanaka and Queenstown today, as the Civil Aviation Authority continues its investigation into the fatal Cessna crash near Wanaka on Monday.
The new Cessna TTx aircraft is being toured by Oceania Aviation and will be available for public viewing at Classic Flights Wanaka from 1.30pm and at Wakatipu Aero Club from about 4pm.
Oceania Aviation marketing manager Travis Hoani said given the limited time the aircraft was in New Zealand, it was not possible to reschedule the demonstration in the wake of Monday's fatal crash.
The aircraft will be at Mainland Air, in Dunedin, and the North Otago Aero Club, in Oamaru, tomorrow, and in Timaru on Friday.
