NZ Police have named the man who died in a light plane crash in the Dingle Burn Valley on Saturday (March 30). He was Ivan Peter Van de Water, 65, of Wānaka.

Ivan was one of two men on board the plane. The other person, who has not been identified publicly, was flown to hospital in a critical condition.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of New Zealand (AOPANZ) said that Ivan had attended the association's ‘fly-in’ held in Omarama over the weekend (March 29-30), which had attracted aircraft from around the country.

“The association and its members are shocked and deeply upset by news of the crash,” AOPANZ president Sue Kronfeld said. 

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the loved ones of those who were on board.”

RNZ has reported that Ivan had retired to Wānaka in 2021 after selling a jewelry business in Gore, which he operated with his wife for nearly 40 years.

He was a well-liked and respected man during his many years in Gore, the town’s deputy mayor Keith Hovell said.

A Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson said investigators have traveled to Wānaka.

Their focus over the coming days will be to gather information that helps explain what happened and why.

Ivan’s death has been reported to the coroner, NZ Police said.

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