Four people are reported to be dead following the crash of a light single-engine aircraft near Canberra earlier today.
The four dead were occupants of a five-seater Cirrus SR22 single-engine aircraft which crashed near Gundaroo in New South Wales shortly after its takeoff from Canberra Airport (CBR) on Friday afternoon October 6.
Canberra – Armidale
The plane had departed from Canberra Airport (CBR) and was bound for Armidale Airport (ARM) in New South Wales when it crashed less than 20 minutes after departure.
According to local news source Channel 7 News, the light aircraft had departed CBR at around 2:35 PM local time before disappearing from radar screens approximately 16 minutes later.
Emergency services including the Rural Fire Service in New South Wales ambulance was summoned to a property located approximately 35 km to the north of Canberra, following a report that an aircraft had crashed and had burst into flames.
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Crash site Gundaroo NSW
It is understood that a local resident in the area had summoned emergency services, and firefighters attending the crash site subsequently extinguished the ensuing blaze.
There are no details or indications of the cause of the fatal accident at the time of writing, however the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) had been notified and were on their way to the scene.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell would examine the site and recover wreckage and components for investigation over the coming days, saying:
“Investigators will also seek to interview any witnesses and involved parties, and collect relevant recorded information including flight tracking data, as well as pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information.”
It is understood that the pilot was experienced, and was accompanied on the flight by his three young grandchildren.
NSW Police confirmed in a statement: “Initial inquiries indicate the Cirrus SR22 aircraft took off from Canberra Airport about 2.30pm and was travelling to Armidale with four people – a man and three children – believed to be on board at the time.”
“Officers from The Hume and Monaro Police Districts responded, along with the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and NSW Ambulance, to a property on Hadlow Drive, Gundaroo, 35 km north of Queanbeyan, just before 3 pm today (Friday 6 September 2023), after reports an aircraft had crashed and caught alight,” the NSW Police stated.
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