'Best father': Pilot killed in crash leaves huge hole in family and community

A South Island pilot who died when the plane he was flying across the Southern Alps crashed was "the best father anyone could wish for" and will leave "a great hole" in his family.

Franz Josef man Tim Gibb was killed in a light plane crash on Thursday last week.

He was travelling from his hometown to Rangiora in North Canterbury but never arrived.

• CGHS pays tribute

A search found his aircraft had crashed near Mount Nicholson in the Southern Alps.

He is survived by his wife Vanessa and adult daughters Olivia and Sarah.

Olivia Gibb told the Herald about her father and his long years of service to the community.

Gibb and his family owned Across Country Quad Bikes but he was also well known in the area as deputy fire chief in Franz Josef, dedicating almost two decades to the Fire Service and Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

He was also the Civil Defence officer for the area.

"He has left a great hole in our family and the close knit community of Franz Josef," said Olivia Gibb.

"However he died doing something he loved - and he had used his nine lives by living life to the fullest."

She said Gibb was "hilarious, always joking and laughing with everyone".

"Nothing was a problem and his glass was always half full," she said.

He was "very family-orientated.

"He was such a great role model, very caring nature to anyone he met no matter their age, gender, race or background," his daughter told the Herald.

"The best father anyone could wish for - he was so kind and loving and great at fixing things."

Olivia Gibb said her father was a man of "great faith" and worshipped several times a week.

"He was so generous and kind," she said.

"He was an entrepreneur - he started off as a mechanic at the local garage and that was the only time he ever worked for another person.

"He then went out picking sphagnum moss and eventually earned enough to buy a few trucks and began his small contracting business.

"This grew into Glacier Concrete and he at one stage had three concrete trucks."

Alongside the quad biking business, Gibb and his wife ran Glacier Cottages, renting out three units in the alpine town.

"He was always either fixing broken quad bikes, helping people with projects or working on a new idea or project," she said.

Olivia Gibb said the family would miss "everything" about him.

"We will especially miss his positive attitude in life and his ability to turn a difficult situation into not such a big deal," she said.

"He taught us to always look on the bright side and work through any adversity we come across.

"We would love him to be remembered through his stories, adventures and escapades.

"If everyone could be a bit like Tim the world would be a better place."

After the fatal crash family friends set up a Givealittle page to raise funds to support Gibb's wife and daughters.

Sarah Gibb was overseas when he died and some of the money will be used to cover the cost of getting her home urgently.

So far more than $47,000 has been donated.

"We are overwhelmed with the support from the public," said Olivia Gibb.

"It's surreal how popular he was.

"He has touched so many people's lives, the Givealittle page has been a testament to him and his generosity to others."

The Franz Josef community also held a quiz night to help support the family which raised more than $7000.

"We would like to sincerely thank everyone from friends, family, acquaintances and the community - from the bottom of our heart - for their outpouring of support and generosity," Olivia Gibb told the Herald.

"We are truly overwhelmed and extremely grateful."

-By Anna Leask