Qantas pilot among light aircraft dead

An A380 pilot who was among three people who died in a horror mid-air collision south of Sydney on Saturday is being described as ‘full of fun, laughter and generosity’ by family and friends.

A Qantas A380 pilot was among three people who died in a horror mid-air collision south of Sydney on Saturday.

Gary Criddle, 72, was flying from Cessnock to Shellharbour, when his Cessna and another light aircraft crashed at The Oaks, in the Macarthur region.

Mr Criddle, who worked for Qantas for almost 40 years had also worked as a pilot in the Royal Australian Navy and the RAAF.

He was one of two men onboard the aircraft, when it crashed while trying to land to refuel, just after 11.30am.

Mr Criddle and a 29-year-old man travelling with him, as well as the 60-year-old pilot of the smaller Jabiru aircraft, Khadiervali Gagguturu, all died on impact

A family spokesman said “Gaz” was full of life and laughter, and would be deeply missed.

“He was a mentor to many aspiring pilots and an avid adventurer with plans to sail the world,” the family said in a statement.

“Gaz was full of fun, laughter and generosity. His loss is immeasurable and he will be deeply missed.”

Former Qantas pilot Gary Criddle is one of three people who died in the tragic mid-air collision.

Mr Criddle spoke on an aviation podcast in 2020 about his remarkable career.

“Gary Criddle’s remarkable career has seen him work as a pilot for the Royal Australian Navy, RAAF as well as commercially, where he has flown 767s and A380s. He’s also practised as an examiner, specialising in both air show display flying and warbirds,” an excerpt for the podcast said.

“He gives an insight into what the flight examination process is actually like, outlines his preparation routine for getting into the zone on flying days, and reveals his hairiest flying experience to date.”

The Cessna’s owner Bill Quintal from NSW Airflight Training confirmed to The Daily Telegraph it was his aircraft that had crashed.

“I’m not good right now,” Mr Quintal said.

The pilot of the Jabiru light aircraft, Khadiervali Gagguturu, was also killed in the collision. Picture: Supplied

It’s understood the Cessna was coming in to land when it crashed with a Jabiru which was taking off.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the cause of the crash.

Meanwhile, it can be revealed that the light aircraft involved in the mid-air collision south of Sydney which killed three people was involved in a crash landing into a paddock just two years ago.

The Jabiru, being flown by a 60-year-old man, had just taken off from The Oaks airfield, in the Macarthur Region, when it collided with a Cessna which was carrying two men, aged 29 and 72.

NSW Police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau are investigating the cause of the crash, which happened about 11.30am.

Pilot Vic Pisani next to his crashed plane in 2022, which was involved in the mid-air collision on Saturday. Picture: Matt Frost

A former owner of the Jabiru,Vic Pisani, told The Daily Telegraph he crashed it in June 2022 while flying it from QLD to Port Macquarie, during only his second flight in it.

“I sold it pretty much straight away...to a guy who was confident it could be repaired,” Mr Pisano said.

“He acquires wrecks and then resells them … it needed a new engine, but structurally it was sound.”

Although he was not aware of the details of Saturday’s fatal crash, Mr Pisani said smaller aircraft like the Jabiru have a blind spot above the pilot’s head.

“It’s an uncontrolled airspace where that happened, and aeroplanes can be hard to see, especially with a blind spot,” he said.

Crime scenes were established after reports of the collision near Oakdale, around 11.50am on Saturday. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Bullard.

ATSB investigators returned to the crash site on Sunday to begin a painstaking investigation into the incident.

“Over coming days, investigators will undertake site mapping, examine the wreckage of both aircraft, and recover any relevant components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra,” an ATSB spokesman said.

Speculation on social media that the two aircraft were seen “dogfighting” prior to the crash were unlikely according to aviation experts who said neither plane was fitted for aerobatics.

There are two local recreational flying schools in the area, neither of which was involved in the crash, but it’s understood there were multiple aircraft over the area shortly before the incident.

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Originally published as Qantas pilot among light aircraft dead