NSW man and fiancee killed in light plane crash in California

A pilot and his newly engaged fiancee have been killed after a light plane crashed off the coast of California.

A NSW man and his newly engaged fiancee have been killed in a light plane crash off the coast of California.

Armidale pilot Lochie Ferrier and his partner Cassidy Petit died when a small plane plummeted into the waters near Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, about 7pm local time on Sunday.

Investigators believe the couple, who got engaged four months ago, were flying with two others on-board.

Couple Lochie Ferrier and Cassidy Petit were among two killed in the crash. Picture: Instagram

Armidale pilot Lochie Ferrier and his partner Cassidy Petit.

Sergeant Philip Hallworth from San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said the plane was found “upside-down” in the water, with witnesses reporting the aircraft had been flying erratically.

“What was even more alarming for the caller was that they heard the engine splutter, and they kept eyes on the plane until they lost sight of it just over the horizon,” Sergeant Hallworth told Fox 2.

“That prompted a search and rescue by the sheriff’s office and coast guard.”

Video footage shows parts of the Cozy Mark IV, a four-seat light aircraft that can be built from a kit, washed up on rocks at Half Moon Bay.

The plane crashed off south of San Francisco on Sunday. Picture: 7News

Emma Willmer-Shiles, 27, from San Francisco, has been identified as the third victim in the crash.

Her body was discovered on Monday morning by the crew of a commercial fishing boat.

The fourth person on board is yet to be identified.

Mr Ferrier and Ms Petit recently announced their engagement in an Instagram post in October.

“Hi we’re getting married,” Ms Petit captioned the post.

After living in Armidale, Mr Ferrier graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US with a degree in aerospace engineering in 2019.

In a podcast last year, Mr Ferrier explained he worked in experimental flight testing, sharing it was “really exciting what you can do in experimental”.

The plane took off from Hayward Airport for a joy flight across San Francisco before landing at Half Moon Bay Airport just after 5pm on Sunday.

Two hours later, it took off again, before later crashing nearby.

The plane had taken off for a joy flight earlier on Sunday. Picture: 7News

Pilot and San Jose State University lecturer, Scott Miller said the plane won’t have “any flight data or cockpit voice recorders” as it is a light aircraft.

“If there was a mechanical failure of some type, the wreckage would certainly indicate that,” he told Fox 2.

“Kit planes are flown every day of the week. Sometimes tracking the history of these types of aeroplanes are a little more difficult.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said a preliminary report into the crash will be completed in two to three weeks.

The Federal Aviation Administration is also involved in the investigation.