A long-serving Central Otago flying instructor has been named as one of two men who died when a light plane came down in rugged country near Nelson last week.

Police on Monday identified him as Nicholas Charles Taylor, 67, of Alexandra. The second man was Alain Henri Copine, a 76-year-old Belgian national. Police said their thoughts were with the families and friends of both men.

The first version of the police statement, issued at 1.15pm, gave Mr Taylor's home town as Wanaka. A correction followed 35 minutes later. "This is incorrect. He is from Alexandra," police said, adding an apology.

RNZ reported that Mr Taylor was a pilot who had spent many years as chief flight instructor at the Central Otago Flying Club. Club president Kurt Verduyn told the broadcaster members were deeply saddened, describing Mr Taylor as "well-respected and much-liked" and saying his contribution to the club would not be forgotten.

The aircraft was a Cessna 172P Skyhawk, registered ZK-BFQ, which took off from Nelson Airport at 9.10am on Tuesday 3 November, according to RNZ. The wreckage was later located in isolated country in the Bryant Range, to the south of Castor Peak. The plane was destroyed.

Detective Jonathon Evans said last week that the two bodies were brought out at about 4pm on Thursday, with Defence Force and Fire and Emergency personnel helping police at the site.

FlyInn, a company that offers self-fly holidays, has said the plane belonged to its fleet. In a statement it said it was sharing the news "with an incredibly heavy heart" and that its thoughts were with those directly affected and their families.

Police have not said where the plane was heading or who was at the controls.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has opened an inquiry. Its chief investigator of accidents, Louise Cook, said two investigators had been assigned to work out what happened and why, RNZ reported. Their first job was to secure anything that could change or be lost, including the state of the wreckage, electronic records and what witnesses remembered. Flight-tracking data, radio calls, weather information, the aircraft's maintenance history and details of the planned flight would also be gathered.

The Civil Aviation Authority has examined the scene as well.

Neither the commission nor police have given any indication of a cause.

The Otago Daily Times carried RNZ's report of the name release on Monday in its Central Otago pages. Alexandra, on the Clutha River, is the main town of Central Otago and the base of the flying club where Mr Taylor taught.