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Fears for pilot David Stephens after crashed plane found in remote NSW Snowy Mountains Pilot David Stephens couldn’t have survived plane crash in remote NSW Snowy Mountains, police say
(30 minutes later)
The 74-year-old Bega man was flying from Wangaratta in Victoria to Moruya in NSW when his plane vanished on Tuesday afternoonThe 74-year-old Bega man was flying from Wangaratta in Victoria to Moruya in NSW when his plane vanished on Tuesday afternoon
A multi-agency search, including specialist forensic police officers, began on Friday for an elderly pilot whose light plane crashed in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains region earlier this week. New South Wales police say a pilot couldn’t have survived after his light plane crashed into a remote region of the Snowy Mountains earlier this week.
The pilot, 74-year-old Bega man David Stephens, has been missing since Tuesday afternoon. Stephens was last seen at Wangaratta in Victoria when his plane was inspected before takeoff. The pilot, 74-year-old Bega man David Stephens, had been missing since Tuesday afternoon. Stephens was last seen at Wangaratta in Victoria when his plane was inspected before takeoff.
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NSW police commenced an air and land search for Stephens when he did not arrive at his destination of Moruya airport on the NSW south coast. The downed plane was spotted near Dargals Trail east of Khancoban on Thursday afternoon.NSW police commenced an air and land search for Stephens when he did not arrive at his destination of Moruya airport on the NSW south coast. The downed plane was spotted near Dargals Trail east of Khancoban on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities said they believed Stephens was flying a single-engine 1966 Beechcraft Debonair. A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesperson said Stephens was flying a single-engine 1966 Beechcraft Debonair 35-C33.
A police spokesperson said on Friday a “recovery operation” would commence about midday to “retrieve and examine” the plane after it was located in the Snowy Valleys. NSW police’s Supt Andrew Spliet said on Friday the plane had been completely destroyed.
“The recovery operation will involve officers from Riverina police district, PolAir, Police Rescue, and the criminal investigation and crime scene unit,” the spokesperson said. “NSW police force now have carriage of this matter with investigations continuing.” “There’s quite a bit of wreckage from the impact,” he told reporters. “It’s fairly clear that it wouldn’t be survivable.”
A police spokesperson earlier on Friday said a “recovery operation” would commence about midday to “retrieve and examine” the plane after it was located in the Snowy Valleys.
“The recovery operation will involve officers from Riverina police district, PolAir, Police Rescue, and the criminal investigation and crime scene unit,” the spokesperson said.
The initial search for the crash site included the police alpine operations unit, the NSW and Victorian ambulance services, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, state emergency services and Snowy Hydro.The initial search for the crash site included the police alpine operations unit, the NSW and Victorian ambulance services, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, state emergency services and Snowy Hydro.
An Australian Maritime Safety Authority Challenger rescue jet and two helicopters conducted the overhead search.An Australian Maritime Safety Authority Challenger rescue jet and two helicopters conducted the overhead search.