An uusual and unwelcome guest in the hallway – the motor and propellor from a light plane that crashed in the road outside.

Neighbours stablise the light aircraft as emergency services extract the pilot and passenger through the other side. The plane and a helicopter collided mid-air above Paraparaumu airport - the helicopter crashed into the roof of the Placemakers' lumber store killing both occupants. The pilot of the light plane died in hospital.

Neither aircraft exploded despite the spilt fuel, but waterways were bunkered against contamination and firefighters were prepared during the early stages to combat any flare-up.

All emergency services were ultised in a combined operation. Ambulances, fire trucks and police were split over two separate sites some distance apart.