Plane crash in West Auckland vineyard 

The pilot of a light plane had a lucky escape on Saturday afternoon after crash landing in a West Auckland vineyard.

It was on a skydiving trip with six experienced parachutists on board when the engine failed at about 2,000 feet.

The parachutists bailed out safely before the plane hit the ground.  "We landed in a paddock behind a tavern which was nicely done, but we overcame the desire to go inside," skydiver Bruce Thompson says.

The Cessna, owned by Whenuapai's Aviation Sports Club, crashed into a field at the Kumeu River Vineyards, taking out several rows of vines before flipping onto its roof.

Manager of Kumeu River Wines, Milan Brajkovich, says the pilot was the only one on board when the plane came down.

"Then there was a splutter of the engine and smoke streamed out the back and we thought oh my god that guys in trouble," witnesses Peter Orr says.

Brajkovich says he saw the pilot walk away from the crash and talk to the fire service and police at the scene.

Peter Wilding, acting chief fire officer for Waitakere City, says more than 100 litres of fuel remain onboard the plane.

The pilot was taken to North Shore Hospital with moderate injuries.

"They were lucky they were able to exit safely and he was certainly lucky he had no serious injuries," Inspector Scott Webb of Waitakere police, says.

The skydiving team were practising for a local fireworks display on Saturday night but with their plane upside down in a field of vines, there is doubt the show will go on.  "Our aim is to carry on.  It has slowed our day down but we'll carry on as soon as we get an aircraft arranged again," Thompson says.

The Civil Aviation Authority is now investigating the crash and One News understands the same plane had a similar incident with club members onboard some time ago.