"Eight skydivers leapt out of a light plane minutes before it crashed and killed experienced pilot Paul Smith. The light plane crash landed in thick bush near to Moruya airport on NSW's south coast on Saturday afternoon, with Smith the only remaining occupant of the aircraft. The 54-year-old pilot and skydiving instructor died at the scene. He was a very well-respected, very experienced, and very well-liked local resident, Det Insp Justin Marks told reporters on Sunday."
"Police are preparing a report for the coroner. The crash happened roughly two minutes after the skydivers exited the plane at roughly 14,000 feet to start their descent. All eight landed safely within the airport grounds. The chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Angus Mitchell, said investigators were yet to speak to the skydivers but other witnesses had observed unusual sounds and flight pattern shortly before the accident. Investigators were also seeking information on weather and conditions from the Bureau of Meteorology."
Eight skydivers leapt from a light plane about 14,000 feet and landed safely within Moruya airport grounds. The plane crash-landed in thick bush near Moruya airport minutes after their exit, leaving the 54-year-old pilot and skydiving instructor Paul Smith as the sole remaining occupant; he died at the scene. Police are preparing a report for the coroner. Witnesses reported unusual sounds and an abnormal flight pattern shortly before the accident. The plane, built around 1980, underwent a substantive maintenance check before being brought into Australia about six weeks earlier and had completed several flights prior to the incident. Investigators are seeking weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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