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December 25, 2025
Small Plane Crashes into House in Pauanui on Christmas Morning
Waatea Team
Posted On December 25, 2025
A dramatic incident this Christmas Day saw a small aeroplane crash into a house in the popular Coromandel holiday town of Pauanui, just beside the local airfield.
Police and emergency services were called just before 9:10 am on Thursday 25 December after reports that the aircraft had impacted a home on Harvard Court, immediately adjacent to the Pauanui Airfield.
Fire and Emergency crews, alongside St John ambulance staff, responded swiftly – and thankfully everyone involved has been accounted for.
Two people were taken to Thames Hospital after being treated at the scene. One was described as in a moderate condition, and the other had minor injuries.
Witnesses described hearing what one holiday-maker called an “almighty thud” as the plane came down and struck the house. The aircraft reportedly spun on impact, damaging the lounge area and shedding its engine and propeller in the crash.
Pauanui – known for its airpark-style community, where houses sit close to the grass runway and private pilots often fly in during summer – was the scene of a frightening moment that could have been much worse given the number of holiday-makers in town.
The Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed it has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, and enquiries will continue in the coming days to understand exactly what happened.
While it was a startling event amid Christmas celebrations, the fact the house was unoccupied at the time and the aircraft did not catch fire is being seen by many as a stroke of luck in an unfortunate incident.
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