Two men killed in fiery aircraft crash south of Orange
TWO men practising manoeuvres in a gyrocopter have plunged to their deaths just a kilometre from a rural NSW airstrip.
NSW
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TWO men practising manoeuvres in a gyrocopter have plunged to their deaths just a kilometre from a rural NSW airstrip.
The men, who police are still trying to identify, were flying over Spring Hill near Orange Airport when the aircraft crashed into a paddock just after 12pm.
“They were practising the manoeuvres at the airport then moving out of the way when another aircraft or a helicopter landed,” Superintendent Chris Taylor said.
“Whilst they were doing that, about a kilometre away from the airport they’ve crashed into an open field.”
Police and fire crews arrived to find the two-man aircraft in flames and a grass fire spreading.
They extinguished the fire and found the bodies of two men inside.
Police were still waiting to get access to the crash site on Wednesday afternoon as they waited for specialist forensic teams to begin the investigation.
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Supt Taylor said officers would fly drones over the crash and use forensic imaging technology to establish a detailed, three-dimensional depiction of the scene.
Detectives were at Orange Airport on Wednesday trying to confirm who had taken off in the light aircraft.
“We don’t known what sort of flight path they may have submitted if they have at all,” Supt Taylor said.
The Australian Sports Rotocraft Association, which certifies gyrocopter and pilots, has been called in to help police prepare a report for the coroner on the two deaths.
“A few of us going up to Orange to help police with the investigation,” association president Rick Elliott said.
“It’s a relatively small community so it hits us all quite hard. It’s very rare for these things to happen but they do it’s an absolute devastation.”