A pilot died Sunday after a mid-air collision between two light planes near Napperfield Airfield in Wedderburn, southwest Sydney. Emergency services responded to reports of the crash at approximately 12:15 p.m. (local time).
The collision resulted in one aircraft crashing in nearby bushland, while the other successfully landed at the airfield with its pilot unharmed. Police have secured two crime scenes, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will lead the investigation into the cause of the incident. This crash marks the second fatal incident at the airfield in just over a year, raising concerns about safety at the privately owned location.
Police were informed that the two light planes collided mid-air. Emergency services located the body of the pilot, who was the sole occupant of the downed aircraft. Their identity has not yet been released.
The incident brings back memories of a Boxing Day 2022 tragedy at the same airport, where pilot Leigh Cunneen, 67, and his passenger, Steve Donoghue, were killed when their amateur-built Glasair aircraft crashed in bushland, sparking a large scrub fire.
Officers from Campbelltown City Police Area Command are currently at the location. The ATSB investigation will aim to determine the circumstances surrounding the collision and prevent similar incidents in the future.
