Three people are dead after two light planes collided in mid-air before crashing in Sydney’s south-west.
NSW police confirmed the fatal crash occurred at about 11.50am on Saturday, at Belimbla Park, near Oakdale.
Acting supt, Timothy Calman, told reporters late Saturday afternoon said that two people were found dead in a Cessna 182 and around one kilometre away one person was found in a Jabiru.
He said the mid-air collision occurred in uncontrolled airspace.
“The scene that we’re closest to has been impacted by fire, it would not have been a survivable impact,” said referring to the Cessna 182 crash site.
“The second scene a kilometre north of here, that aircraft did not burn but also [was] not a survivable impact.”
“They’re rather infrequent, collisions of this nature.”
Police said that the bodies of three men have been found. But in a later press conference, Calman said the gender of the two people in the Cessna 182 was yet to be confirmed. He said police believe they have confirmed the identity of the man who was flying the Jabiru.
Calman said police believed that the Jabiru has flown out of the Oaks airfield and that the Cessna 182 had departed from Cessnock and was travelling to Wollongong.
Footage of the site appeared to show plane wreckage in a forested area on the edge of cleared land.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will undertake the investigation into the crash.
“A team of transport safety investigators from the ATSB’s Canberra office, with experience in aircraft operations and maintenance, is preparing to deploy to the accident sites of both aircraft to begin evidence-collecting activities,” the ATSB said in a statement.
“Over coming days, investigators will undertake site mapping, examine the wreckage of both aircraft, and recover any relevant components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.
“Investigators will also seek to interview any witnesses and involved parties, and collect relevant recorded information including any air traffic control and flight tracking data, as well as pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information.”
It said it would release a preliminary report in about two months, with a final report to be released at the conclusion of the investigation.
“However, if at any point during the investigation we uncover any critical safety issues we will immediately inform relevant parties so they can take safety actions,” it said.
