Two men from Western Australia have died after an ultralight aircraft crashed in a paddock near the Scone Aerodrome on Friday afternoon.
Emergency services were called to Bunnan Road about 1:55pm on Friday after reports of a plane crash. Police confirmed the two occupants died at the scene. The crash happened adjacent to the airport, near the Scone Racecourse, on what is believed to be private land. Police are still yet to formally identify the men.
Flightradar24 data shows the plane took off about 1:46pm and lost signal about five minutes later. The aircraft is believed to be a kit-built plane on the recreational register, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Muswellbrook Police Station Inspector Todd Hobson said forensic officers and detectives remained at the scene until about 1am on Saturday. Fire and Rescue NSW helped drain fuel from the wreckage to make it safer for investigators, and the wreckage has been secured and taken to Newcastle for mechanical examination.
Inspector Hobson said police are still in the early stages of gathering evidence.
“If we were to point anything at cause now, it would just be pure speculation,” he said.
Police are investigating on behalf of the Coroner and liaising with Recreational Aviation Australia and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
