Light plane crashes nose first into the ground near Parafield Airport after clipping powerlines
ELECTRICITY has been restored after a light plane crashed nose first into a paddock near Parafield Airport when it clipped a power line. The pilot was lucky to survive the crash.
A LIGHT plane has crashed nose first into the ground while on approach to Parafield Airport.
Emergency services were called to a paddock off Elder Smith Rd just after 6pm.
The Cessna 172 with only the pilot on-board crash landed about 200m off Elder Smith Rd into a field.
The pilot was lucky to survive the crash.
The plane clipped power lines on descent into the airport, blacking out more than 700 houses in Mawson Lakes. Power has since been restored.
Phil was driving on Elder Smith Rd at about 6pm when he saw the plane flying low towards the airport.
“I saw the plane coming in and I thought it looked a bit low,” Phil said.
“All of a sudden there were sparks and then I saw the ground light up as the plane went nose first into the ground.
“The power lines probably saved him because they slowed him down.
“Sparks have come from each of the power poles and the plane has flipped onto its back.”
Phil and another motorist ran to the aid of the 55-year-old male pilot who managed to get himself out of the plane.
“We got across to him and as we approached the plane I saw him getting out,” Phil said.
“He collapsed right in front of me. So we put him in the recovery position and got him stable and then asked if there was anyone else in the plane.
“The pilot said ‘I think I know what happened’.”
Elder Smith Rd is closed to all traffic between Main St and Main North Rd as emergency services respond the crash and deal with the downed power lines.
Traffic lights at the intersection of Elder Smith Rd and Main North Rd were out for more than an hour.
The pilot is in a stable condition after sustaining non-life threatening injuries in the crash.
He is understood to have lacerations to one of his arms and pain in his chest and leg.
Paramedics took him to the Royal Adelaide Hospital as a precaution.
712 properties across Para Hills, Pooraka, Para Hills West, Mawson Lakes and Ingle Farm were without power, which were later restored.