One injured, one dead following light plane crash in NSW

A man has been airlifted to hospital while another is dead following a light plane crash on Palmers Island on the north coast of NSW.

A man in his 30s has been airlifted to hospital and another is dead following a light plane crash in northern NSW. Picture: Tom Parrish

One man has died and another has been airlifted to hospital following a light plane crash on the north coast of NSW.

Emergency services were called to Palmers Island about 11.30am on Sunday following reports of a recreational plane crash.

NSW Police confirmed the pilot died at the scene.

The pilot has not yet been formally identified but is believed to be a man aged in his 60s, NSW Police said in a statement.

A NSW Ambulance spokesperson confirmed another passenger, a man in his 30s, was treated by paramedics for head, spinal and arm injuries before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

The Daily Telegraph reports the crash occurred as the plane was taking off from McIntyres Airfield, a private airstrip on Palmers Island near Yamba in northern NSW.

A NSW Ambulance spokesperson said multiple NSW ambulance paramedics attended the scene, as well as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

NSW Police said officers from the Coffs/Clarence Police District were on site and had secured a crime scene.

“Members of the public are urged to avoid the area,” NSW Police said.

“No further information is available at this stage.

“Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are under way.”