The Te Anau pilot who died when a Hughes 500 helicopter crashed near the start of the Milford Track was a ''very experienced and cautious pilot who was very well regarded in the industry'', his employer says.
William Bruce Andrews (49), known as Bruce, was a pilot for Milford Helicopters and the sole occupant in the helicopter which failed to arrive at its destination at Dumpling Hut on the Milford Track on Sunday evening.
An Invercargill police search and rescue team landed at the crash scene above the Glade Burn yesterday morning and recovered Mr Andrews' body.
Searchers found the helicopter's wreckage, in an operation organised by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand.
Milford Helicopters owner and chief executive Jeff Shanks, of Te Anau, described Mr Andrews, a father of two, as ''a real nice guy who worked extensively in New Zealand, Alaska and different parts of the world,'' when approached by the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
The three remaining staff members were feeling ''pretty devastated'' as Mr Andrews worked for the Milford Sound based aviation company on and off for years, Mr Shanks said.
''Obviously we've been to see the family and have to wait and see what happens, I guess.''
Mr Shanks said the pilot worked offshore most of the year and took relief work for Te Anau companies when he was back in New Zealand.
Mr Andrews had only returned home in October. He started relief work for Milford Helicopters in November and was on a routine ''ferry flight'' to pick up a person on the day of the incident.
Mr Shanks said the Hughes 500 helicopter involved in the crash had been in ''very good condition'' and owned by the firm for about two and a-half years.
Police said the matter had been referred to the Civil Aviation Authority and the coroner.
The Andrews family requested privacy.
