1 KILLED IN ULTRALIGHT PLANE CRASH AT LOVEDALE IN HUNTER VALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AU

MAY 23, 2015

HUNTER VALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AU

 

A pilot has died after an ultralight plane crashed into a paddock in a wine-growing region in New South Wales' Hunter Valley.

Police say the plane crashed at Lovedale, north-west of Newcastle, shortly before midday.

The male pilot, who was the only person on board, was found dead when police arrived at the scene.

Inspector Peter Vromans said police had been told the plane had taken off from nearby Cessnock Airport and was only in the air for a short period of time.

"The plane's been located probably about 20 metres into a paddock by the side of Lovedale Road," he said.

"It does look like it's been a heavy impact.

 

"From here, we'll be getting specialist investigators and crime scene officers to attend the scene and they'll be completing a full investigation."

Inspector Vromans said police would work with Recreational Aviation Australia to try to establish the cause of the crash.

He said police did not know how much flying experience the man had, nor whether he was part of a local flying club.

Officers had been told a parachute was on board the plane.

Inspector Vromans said police did not know if anyone had witnessed the crash.

They were yet to reach the man's next of kin, he said.

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MAY 23, 2015

A pilot has died in a ultralight plane crash just metres from a cafe where dozens of residents were celebrating a birthday party in the Hunter Valley wine region.

The plane crashed into a woody paddock in Lovedale, off Lovedale Road, about midday on Saturday.

About 60 people were eating at The Lovedale Store and Cafe, roughly 10 metres away from the crash site, when they heard an "almighty bang". 

Cafe owner Jane Brazier it sounded like a "car crash" and she rushed out of the kitchen to see what had happened. 

"Everybody got up from the tables and just stopped what they were doing. You couldn't see anything. It's all wooded area and there was no smoke or anything," Mrs Brazier said.

The patrons, many of whom were locals celebrating a 60th birthday, were alarmed but they thought a tree trunk must have fallen when they could see no sign of disruption. 

It was only a short time later when one of the diners, a former pilot himself, was leaving the cafe and saw a glimpse of metal in the woods that the plane was found. 

Emergency services at the scene of a light plane crash at #Lovedale in the #Hunter. @nbnnews pic.twitter.com/pQCZ9nD5YE

— Renee Fedder (@reneefedder) May 23, 2015

 

"They sort of looked into the wood area as they were driving past and this customer is an ex-pilot and he saw something that looked like orange metal or whatever so they decided to turn around and have a look and he went in and it was the microlight," she said. 

Mrs Brazier's husband, Paul, rushed into the woods but said the male pilot was already dead and there was nothing he could do to help. 

"The aircraft obviously fell out of the sky so fast we didn't actually know what it was. We all assumed it was a fallen tree. We knew there was metal, we heard metal, so we were a bit confused," Mr Brazier said.

"We're all pretty shocked. I've had a lot of phone calls."

People who knew the pilot said he was experienced but flying the ultralight aircraft for the first time, Mr Brazier said. The Herald has not been able to confirm this. 

Police said the pilot was the only person on board and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency services are still at the site and motorists have been told to avoid the area. 

Local businesses owners and residents said scenic and pleasure flights were common in the area and there were also pilot training schools nearby. Cessnock Aerodrome and Maitland Airport are close to Lovedale. 

Lovedale has a population of about 300 and Chamber of Commerce president Amanda Lambert said residents would be devastated by the news.

"It is a very close community and we always look out for each other," she said.

Date:	23-MAY-2015
Time:	-12:00
Type:	Ultralight
Owner/operator:
Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Unknown
Location:	Near Cessnock Airport (YCNK), Lovedale, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The aircraft impacted wooded paddock terrain northeast of Cessnock Aerodrome (CES/YCNK), in Lovedale, New South Wales. The ultralight sustained unreported damage and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.

Sources:

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=176300
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/05/23/pilot-dies-nsw-ultralight-plane-crash
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-23/pilot-dies-in-hunter-valley-plane-crash/6492220
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/pilot-dies-in-light-plane-crash-in-hunter-valley-20150523-gh81qw.html