Pilot critical after being freed from wreckage of light plane crash
A pilot is critical after being freed from the wreckage of a light plane after it crashed and flipped at Bankstown airport in South West Sydney this afternoon.
The single-engine, four-seater Cirrus aircraft came down at the airport around 3.40pm.
The plane flipped on impact and trapped the male pilot, and a large amount of fuel spilled from the plane, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said.
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A light plane has crashed and flipped on the runway at Bankstown Airport. Supplied
Eight fire trucks responded to the crash and crews covered the aircraft in fire retardant foam while they worked to free the pilot.
The pilot, aged in his 60s, has been taken to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition with chest, arm and spinal injuries.
It's not yet clear what caused the crash.
It's understood the aircraft had flown in from the Gold Coast, a nearly three-hour trip, and a gust of wind may have been to blame for the crash.
A pilot who witnessed the crash said it all happened very quickly.
"I saw three planes all coming in to land then one tipped violently to the left and before i knew it was on the ground," Adam, a fellow pilot, said.
"I didn't believe my eyes at first."
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The pilot has been taken to hospital. NSW Ambulance
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) spokesperson said the authority is investigating the crash.
"The ATSB is gathering further information about the circumstances of a landing accident at Bankstown airport involving a Cirrus light aircraft to inform a decision on any investigation," the spokesperson said.
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