Survivors of a plane crash at Fox Glacier mistakenly believed they were at Franz Josef, the president of their aero club says.
The Cessna hit power lines and crashed into bush near the end of the runway on September 5, cutting power supply to the West Coast township.
Three men survived the crash. Pilot John Kraft, 48, is still recovering in Christchurch Hospital from multiple injuries but expects to be released soon.
North Shore Aero Club president Ian Couper said the Cessna was one of about 30 aircraft on an annual club trip around the South Island.
The men were flying the Queenstown-Franz Josef leg, en route to Karamea, when the accident happened.
"They basically mistook the Fox Glacier airstrip for Franz Josef. They gave a radio call saying Franz Josef when in fact they were at Fox by mistake," he told The Press.
"The Fox landing strip has been out of use for many years. It's mainly operated by helicopters and it's much shorter than Franz Josef, but, thinking that's where they were landing, they found the strip too short."
As a result, the aircraft tangled up in wires and crashed.
The Fox Glacier airstrip is a private airfield near the township, away from any major waterways. The Franz Josef airfield is near a river and clear of the township.
Mr Kraft said he was legally restricted over what he could say about the crash and had little interest in reliving the experience.
