The Transport Accident Investigation Commission says it is opening an inquiry into a fatal plane crash near Nelson.
The Cessna plane left the city at about 9.10am on Tuesday and was reported overdue just before midday.
Nelson area commander Steven Collins said the wreckage was found in a remote area, south of Castor Peak.
Police were working with the Civil Aviation Authority to recover the bodies and examine the crash scene.
Cloud on Wednesday morning had hampered efforts to retrieve the two bodies.
Flight tracking data on the website FlightRadar24 showed a Cessna Skyhawk taking off from Nelson Airport at 9.10am and flying into the hills near Whangamoa before its tracking data stopped.
Nelson mayor Nick Smith said the plane got to an altitude of 3100ft but suddenly dropped to 1800ft when it was lost off radar near the Bryant Range, 35 km north east of Nelson.
Nelson Aero Club confirmed it was not one of its planes.
Source: RNZ · RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
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