Crash kills Hopper family heir

The heir to the Hopper family property development empire – responsible for Pauanui and Whitianga Waterways – was killed in a plane crash in Northland yesterday.

Stace Hopper, 25, was killed instantly when his single engined Yak-52 crashed into a company Volkswagen van while taking off at the Hopper Developments airstrip at One Tree Point, 6km northwest of Marsden Point. The van's three occupants, including Stace's younger brother Gray, 24, suffered moderate injuries in the crash, which happened just before 4pm and left the plane engulfed in flames.

Family and friends were last night descending on the Hoppers' residence in Orewa.

Hopper Developments, possibly New Zealand's biggest coastal land development company, is responsible for the two major developments in the Coromandel – Pauanui and Whitianga Waterways canal housing developments.

The Hoppers also own subsidiary civil engineering company Hopper Construction, which has an office in Wihitanga.

Hopper Developments marketing manager Paul Shanahan said Stace was the eldest of three siblings and the chosen successor to take over the family company from his father, Leigh. The family was "enormously upset" about Stace's death.

Mr Shanahan said Stace, who was brought up in Auckland, had just taken off from the airstrip at Marsden Point, heading back to the North Shore, when the wing of his aircraft clipped the van and crashed. The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating the crash.

Mr Shanahan said mechanical failure or a gust of wind could be to blame.

Stace was manager of Marsden Cove, and had been heading back to the company's head office in Orewa.

Mr Shanahan expected a large turnout from both the aviation and motorsport spheres for Stace's funeral. A date was expected to be decided by family over the weekend.

Stace was a regular contender in the Dunlop Targa Rally, racing his Subaru WRX. "He was a very popular young guy, very talented rally driver and experienced pilot."

The Hopper family had several generations of interest in aviation. Leigh Hopper had been flying since he was a teenager and Stace's grandfather, Ian, was also a pilot. Ian Hopper helped establish Pauanui and built its airstrip.

- © Fairfax NZ News