The former CAA staff member arrested after an email was sent during a coroner's inquest into a mid-air collision at Paraparaumu Airport has been named.
Peter Kirker, former Manager Safety Investigation, had been granted name suppression until 10am today but this was lifted when the inquest resumed.
A helicopter flown by student James David Taylor, 19, with experienced rescue pilot David Fielding, 30, as his instructor, and a Cessna piloted by Bevan Andrew Hookway, 17, collided over Paraparaumu on February 17 2008, killing all three.
The helicopter fell through the roof of Paraparaumu's Placemakers store, just missing staff and customers, while the plane's fuselage landed about 250m away in Dennis Taylor Court, with its engine crashing through a house roof.
During the last sitting of the inquest in late October an unsolicited email was allegedly sent to Fielding's family in the name of Massey University School of Aviation manager Frank Sharp.
But CAA say the email was not sent from Sharp.
Coroner Ian Smith requested that police investigate the origins of the email and charges were subsequently laid.
The 52-year-old faces charges of forgery, use of forged document and perverting the course of justice.
The CAA began an employment investigation when it was made aware of the charges laid against Kirker.
Kirker was suspended from his duties, pending the completion of the investigation.
Kirker has since resigned from the CAA.
The CAA said it regrets the involvement of a staff member and is deeply concerned about the impacts the alleged actions may have on the inquest, and in particular the families of Fielding, Taylor and Hookway.
Kirker is due back in Porirua District Court next year.
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