Auckland, March 20 NZPA - The victim of a fatal air crash made a high-flying departure when his casket was strapped into a helicopter for a final sortie.

As Stace Hopper flew over the North Shore Aero Club on Auckland's North Shore during the week, his mate raced his Subaru rally car on the runway below, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Mr Hopper, 27, died when his Cessna 206 clipped a car during take-off and crashed in flames at the Marsden Cove Marina at One Tree Point, south of Whangarei.

His family owned coastal land development company Hopper Developments and Hopper Construction, and the crash was near one of the company projects at Marsden Cove. It is developing 350 canal frontage lots, a 250 berth marina and 200 residential lots overlooking the marina village.

Friends said the funeral was a spectacular farewell and Mr Hopper would have loved it. About 2500 mourners were at the funeral, described as "moving, gut-wrenching, beautiful and fabulous".