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Rescuers at the scene of the helicopter crash in Banks Peninsula - Source: ONE News
A helicopter pilot survived a crash-landing on a remote Banks Peninsula ridge this morning.
Emergency services were notified of the crash between the Kaituna Valley and McQueens Pass, near Mt Herbert, about 8am today.
The pilot, the sole occupant of the privately-owned Robinson 22 helicopter, suffered moderate back injuries.
Westpac rescue helicopter pilot Stuart Farquhar said the man attempted an emergency landing after his helicopter suffered a mechanical failure.
He clipped the helicopter's rotors on a rise before crash-landing on a four-wheel-drive track on a ridge, in the middle of a pine plantation.
"It was a hard landing... but other than that it was quite a successful emergency procedure," Farquhar said.
Simon Duncan, general manager of Garden City Helicopters, which operates the Westpac rescue helicopter service, said the man managed to get out of the wreckage and call another pilot on his cellphone to raise the alarm.
"He then realised his back was badly injured when he fell to the ground as he got out of the aircraft. He lay beside it until we got there," Duncan said.
The helicopter's emergency beacon was "smashed beyond repair" in the crash, but rescuers were able to call the injured pilot's cellphone to get a rough location of the crash site.
"He was able to try and describe where he was but the description wasn't very clear because the crash was located amongst some trees."
Duncan said the crew was trained to know what to look for and found the crashed aircraft.
"They know how to look for telltale signs of brush moved apart and things like that."
St John ambulance paramedics attended to the man before he was winched out on a stretcher.
He was flown to Christchurch Hospital to be treated for moderate back injuries.
Farquhar said the helicopter's landing skids were splayed out and the blades and tail boom were bent.
"The helicopter's not in good condition, but I've certainly seen worse."
The Civil Aviation Authority would investigate.
The Robinson R22 is a two-seater, single-engine light utility helicopter.
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