Police are still working to recover the body of a helicopter pilot from a crash site at the top of the South Island.

Damian Webster was flying from Karamea on the West Coast to Nelson on a maintenance mission last Tuesday, along with another helicopter, when his aircraft, a Robinson 44, was lost over the Kahurangi Range.

After a four day search the wreckage and Mr Webster's body was found about 3 yesterday afternoon, when a rescue helicopter spotted a piece of paper from Mr Webster's aircraft caught in the trees.

A police spokeswoman says police are today working to remove the pilot's body from the site.