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Wang He / Getty Images
A paramotor pilot on a flight in China. (File photo)
A West Coast man who died on a paramotor just a month after obtaining his license was identified by police.
It was John James McIntosh, 50, from Harihari.
McIntosh’s family called emergency services at 7.40 p.m. Thursday after he returned late from his flight.
A rescue helicopter was dispatched and McIntosh was found dead in a remote area on the Poerua River, south of Harihari.
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It was understood that police personnel were only able to access the scene in a jet boat.
McIntosh’s death was referred to the coroner and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will investigate the accident.
A CAA spokeswoman said last week Things Investigators planned to travel to Harihari this week to inspect the remains and speak with witnesses.
“We are in contact with the police and they are helping us to obtain evidence.”
A paramotor is a motorized glider that is launched from a height by a pilot with a harness, fuel tank, motor and a propeller on the back. A PG2 license is required to fly unsupervised in New Zealand and licenses are issued by the CAA.
According to the CAA, pilots must be members of a hang gliding organization and possess an appropriate pilot certificate to fly a paramotor in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (NZHGPA) had also been notified of the incident, he said.
West Coast paramotor enthusiast Blair Shepherd called McIntosh “a new pilot.”
“He got his license a month ago.”
NZHGPA is the only organization to which the Director of Civil Aviation has delegated the power to issue pilot certificates.
Under CAA rules, pilots must only use association-authorized launch sites and their paramotor or powered hang glider must have a valid fitness order issued by a hang gliding organization.
