UPDATED 12.55PM: The cause of a helicopter crash near a Wanaka vineyard today is thought to be pilot error, an industry insider says.

The airline industry source, who is based near Wanaka, also confirmed the aircraft involved in the crash near Luggate just before 5am today was a Guimbal Cabri G2.

Police said the pilot suffered moderate injuries, however the Herald's source said he had also spoken to the pilot and said he was likely to suffered a broken rib and a few bruises but that's about it.

He likened the crash to that of a fender-bender on the road.

He disputed an earlier report by the Civil Aviation Authority that the cockpit filled with smoke and said he believed that it was pilot error.

The chopper was one of about 20 in the air carrying out frost-fighting procedures for one of the many wineries in the area.

The pilot, in his 60s, was able to walk away from the crash.

"There was probably about 20 helicopters out frost-fighting last night so he was just one of them."

The helicopters are used to fly over the vineyards and orchards to prevent the temperature to get down below freezing.

"The helicopter's just fly over top which brings the warm air down and keeps the orchard's above zero so it stops the fruit getting frozen."

The choppers hover from a height about 10m to 20m in the air which was why the pilot was able to walk away relatively unscathed, he said.

The CAA is still investigating to determine what type of investigation it will carry out yet."

A police spokesperson said the pilot was taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries.

NZ Herald