The wreckage of the Cessna 152 in which 28 year old pilot Ben Gaastra was killed when it crashed in rugged terrain 41km west-south-west of Te Kuiti. Credit:NZPA / Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter
Mr Gaastra, 28, was flying solo from Auckland's North Shore to New Plymouth yesterday evening. A search operation was launched about 7.30pm after the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand detected an emergency beacon.
Two Royal New Zealand Air Force Iroquois helicopters helped with the search, as well as a private helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft.
The wreckage of the Cessna 152 was found at 10am today by a ground search and rescue team, which had been lowered by an air force helicopter in rugged terrain 41km west-south-west of Te Kuiti.
Mr Gaastra's body was found nearby about 10.40am.
