Light plane, pilot missing in NSW

Rescuers are scouring the NSW Blue Mountains for a light aircraft that has gone missing with one person on board.

The single-engine plane took off from Katoomba airfield about midday on Saturday.

Alarms were raised when the pilot, who was believed to have been conducting circuits around the Katoomba area, had not returned by 5.15pm.

Two helicopters and a search and rescue plane have been searching the area since the report.

A rescue chopper using night vision systems is continuing the search into the evening.

Search efforts are expected to be expanded on Sunday if the plane is not located overnight.