Pilot makes miraculous escape after light plane crashes near Melbourne golf course

The pilot of a light plane which crashed near a Melbourne golf course has had a narrow escape thanks to some nearby workers.

The small aircraft came down today near Capital Golf Course in Heatherton today.

"My aim was for him to stay still and not move around as much as he can," witness Abel Teke said.

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The 53-year-old pilot was trapped inside the destroyed cockpit for several minutes before waste management employees ran to the wreckage, arming themselves with fire extinguishers.

"He wasn't responding, just shaking ... I couldn't get anything out of him," another witness Terry King said.

"It was just a lot of metal going bang and crash."

The Piper Cherokee flew dangerously low seconds after taking off from Moorabbin Airport, crashing less than a minute after departure.

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Emergency services were quick to respond and the man was freed after 12 minutes.

He was rushed to hospital as firefighters worked to avoid any further catastrophe, pouring retardant over the destroyed aircraft.

The pilot was taken to The Alfred hospital, admitted with minor upper and lower body injuries.

He is in a stable condition.

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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will now investigate the cause of the crash.

Officers are currently en route from Canberra and will start combing through the scene tomorrow.

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