Tragic update as police confirm man's body found after plane crash in New South Wales Snowy Mountains region

Sky News AU

18-07-2025

Police have confirmed a man's body has been found after a light aircraft crash in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains region.
The plane, with one person on board, was flying from Wangaratta in Victoria to the NSW South Coast on Tuesday when it never made its scheduled landing at Moruya Airport.
A rescue helicopter found the wreckage of the plane on Thursday about 10km from Khancoban in the Snowy Mountains, which was near the aircraft's last known GPS location.
The pilot on board the 1966 Beechcraft Debonair plane has since been named as Bega man David Stephens, although police said the sole occupant of the aircraft is yet to be formally identified.
NSW Police confirmed a man's body had been found in wreckage near the crash site about 3.00pm on Friday following a multi-day search and recovery operation.
"While he is yet to be formally identified, police believe the body is that of the missing pilot," police said in a statement.
"Police remain at the crash site and it is expected the body will be removed from the site later this afternoon.
"A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner."
Mr Stephen's wife Lynda Leigh issued a statement to the ABC on Thursday, explaining the 74-year-old experienced pilot and accountant had never returned home after embarking on a flight.
"Unfortunately, David disappeared on his flight home," she said.
"It is known that the mountain weather can turn very quickly and we have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain and decided not to turn back to Wangaratta.
"David has quite a bit of experience flying that plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing and we'll only have answers once they locate the plane and with that, David."
Earlier on Friday, Riverina Police District Commander Superintendent Andrew Spliet confirmed the family's worst fears as he said the sheer impact of the crash would not have been survivable.
"It's clear from the wreckage of that plane that there's been a significant impact into the terrain there in the Snowy Mountains," he told reporters at a media conference.
Asked if he could confirm any further details about the pilot, Supt Spliet said police were not in a position to make any positive identifications.
"With the significant impact that has occurred, there's quite a bit of wreckage from that impact, it's fairly clear that it wouldn't be survivable," Supt Spliet said.
Investigators are still working to determine what caused the collission.
"You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane ... obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range there which has completely destroyed that aircraft," Supt Spliet said.
Supt Spliet said steep terrain combined with a lot of snow and fog made the crash site difficult to access and navigate.
Although he could not confirm the flying conditions at the time of the crash, Supt Spliet noted the weather was "fairly inclement" during the search efforts.
NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal officers and the Alpine Operations Unit were deployed in the search, which was ultimately led by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
National Parks and Wildlife Service crew, State Emergency Service volunteers and officers from the ACT Police Alpine Unit also took part in the operation.