One light plane with one person on board went missing near New Zealand's western North Island city of New Plymouth on Tuesday evening.

It is believed the aircraft crashed at around 8:00 p.m. (0800 GMT), Newstalk ZB radio reported. Its male pilot was flying between Auckland's North Shore and New Plymouth.

The Rescue Co-ordination center has launched a search for plane missing near New Plymouth.

Search and rescue staff were scouring the area and a local helicopter has been called in to help look for the missing plane.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2009)