Robinson R22 Beta ZK-HIP

Bad news has just filtered through about the finding of the Robinson R22 Beta that went missing yesterday in the Bluff area.
Sadly the helicopter has been found in Bluff Harbour and two bodies have been recovered.

ZK-HIP2 ,c/n 1804 , was a 1991 production machine, initially registered in the USA as N4076J.
It was registered in NZ on 03-11-1993 to Opotiki Helicpters and then pased through Ashworth Helicopters at Gisborne from January 1995; then to Skidmark Helicopters at Opotiki from September of 1999. In August of 2004 it went down to High Country Helicopters Ltd/Argyle Station near Waikaia., then to Rowberry Farm Ltd at Wanaka in May of 2008, and finally to Allan Munro of Hillpoint Station, near Winton from 03-09-2009.

The owner and his instructor were aboard at the time of the accident.

ZK-HIP2 at Christchurch on 16-10-2007.