Families mourn air crash victims

CRAIG SIMCOX/The Dominion Post

GRIEVING PARENTS: Brian and Trish Hookway say flying was their son Bevan's passion.

Relevant offers

Air  accident investigators believe New Zealand's legal solo flying age is safe as they begin investigating the "unusual and tragic" midair collision that killed two teenage pilots and an instructor.

Bevan Hookway was a 17-year-old schoolboy training for his private pilot's licence on Sunday when the Cessna 152 plane he was flying collided near Paraparaumu Airport with a helicopter being flown by 19-year-old James Taylor.

The small plane crashed in a residential street - the 130-kilogram engine and propeller unit smashing through the roof of a house and landing in the hallway - while the helicopter fell through the roof of a Placemakers store, also killing rescue helicopter pilot and flight instructor Dave Fielding, 30.

Both teenagers had planned to make flying a career; Bevan aiming for the air force and James a working life as a rescue helicopter pilot.

Bevan's all-consuming passion for flying extended to treating his friends to special flights on their birthdays, issuing handmade tickets for the occasion.

The Kapiti College pupil studied aviation for NCEA and made his first solo flight on January 16.

His father, Brian Hookway, said his son was over the moon when his instructor radioed through to the airport to announce he was handing the controls over to him.

"I have never seen him so excited. He was so thrilled, just bursting," Mr Hookway said.

Friends said Bevan was almost halfway through the 50 hours of solo flying needed for his private pilot's licence.

James Taylor's father Lachie said his son also wanted to make flying his life.

"He had always wanted to be a rescue helicopter pilot. He was on his way, he was just full of it. When we saw him at Christmas it was just helicopters, helicopters, helicopters."

There is no minimum age for when a person can fly a plane. A pilot must be at least 16, however, before they are allowed to fly solo.

An investigator at the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, Ian McClelland, had no concerns about teenagers flying unsupervised. A student could fly solo only after they reached a "reasonable, good, safe standard".

"It is the experience and competency that matters." He stressed that every hour of flying was backed up by another two hours of briefings and lectures.

The fuselage, engine and other items from the Cessna which crashed into a house in Dennis Taylor Court were removed yesterday afternoon.

Nearby in Robert Grove, the plane's battery was found in a house after it had crashed through the roof, while the nose wheel was found in the garden.