Three injured hunters are recovering in Southland Hospital after the plane they were in flipped following an aborted take off in Western Southland this afternoon.
Southern District Command Centre Senior Sergeant Ben Butterfield said emergency services were called to a light plane crash in a paddock in Thornbury-Waimatuku Rd, Thornbury about 3.30pm.
The Cessna 182 plane was owned by a Western Southland farm syndicate and the 59-year-old pilot had three passengers, aged between 50 and 64.
"It appears the plane was taking off and was hit by a cross wind. The pilot chose to abort the take off and completed a controlled landing in a nearby paddock.
The plane skidded at slow speed, hit a wire fence and post and rolled into a ploughed paddock. The nose wheel dug in the soft ground and the plane flipped to rest on its roof, Snr Sgt Butterfield said.
The three passengers sustained minor injuries and were taken to Southland Hospital by ambulance for observation overnight.
The group had intended to fly to Big Bay, 40km north of Milford Sound, for hunting and to complete repair work on a hut.
The Civil Aviation Authority had been notified and had talked to the pilot and the owners of the plane, Snr Sgt Butterfield said.
