Sydney Airport Message Board - Aerobatics Pilot Killed in Pitts Crash

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WITNESSES have recounted seeing how a man survived a light plane crash as a "miracle", after the incident killed another passenger.

The crash, which happened earlier today at 11.30am, occurred after a light plane crashed in to bushland in far western Sydney at Cobbitty.
Witnesses described the survival of one of the passengers of the Pitt Special plane as a "miracle".

Police said the survivor, who is now in a serious condition at Penrith's Nepean Hospital, was up and walking around the crash site on the side of The Northern Road at Cobbitty when they arrived at the scene.
The other passenger of the plane was trapped inside and was already dead.

Both men are experienced pilots.

The plane, which belongs to Bankstown-based company Red Baron Adventures, had been hired for a private flight.

Police said it had left Camden Airport minutes before it crashed heavily in to bushland about five metres south of The Northern Rd.

Superintendent Ian Foscholo said that the plane was almost unrecognisable because of the damage sustained in the massive crash.
A spokesman for Red Baron Adventures said: "We are all a bit shaken at the moment."

Although the plane is hired out for acrobatic flights, Camden Airport workers said said they did not believe that the plane had been doing any manoeuvres in the lead up to the crash.

The Northern Rd is expected to remain closed for another two hours while firefighters secure the scene and police and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) officials carry out their crash investigations.

-news.com

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"The aircraft was based at Camden Airport, so it wasn't far from its base when the accident happened," he said.

Mr Gibson says an investigation is underway.

"We'll start gathering further information, work out what went wrong to try and prevent this type of tragedy happening again," he said.

-abc

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A stunt plane crashed into trees during training in Sydney's south-west this morning, killing one man and injuring another.

It is understood the man who survived was Red Baron Flight Training chief instructor Keith Ker, who has worked with the company based at Bankstown Airport for about 10 years.

He is in a stable condition at Nepean Hospital.
Mr Ker had been sitting in the front seat when the plane crashed into trees.

He was reportedly already up and walking near the badly damaged bi-plane by the time help arrived.

Emergency crews had been called to The Northern Road, Oran Park, about two kilometres north of the Oran Park turn-off about 11.30am.

They found a Pitts Special S2A biplane owned by Red Baron, smashed into the ground only metres from The Northern Road.

It is understood the other man - also a well-known and experienced aerobatic flyer - was on a flight review.

"It appears the plane has struck a tree in flight, causing it to crash land," a police spokeswoman said.

"One man was killed while another suffered only minor injuries during the accident.''

The Northern Road is currently closed in both directions, the spokeswoman said.

The Air Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the accident, a spokesman said.

An investigative team will travel from Canberra later today to examine the wreckage, he said.

-smh