Latest news with #MoruyaAirport
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
'It wouldn't be survivable': pilot presumed dead in Snowy Mountains crash
While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!" While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!" While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!" While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!"
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Climate
- Perth Now
Sad update in search for missing pilot
Police say it's 'fairly clear' the missing pilot at the helm of a plane that crashed in the rugged Snowy Mountains has not survived the impact as crews continue their desperate search. Experienced Bega pilot David Stephens, 74, was flying the 1966 Beechcraft Debonair plane from Wangaratta in Victoria to Moruya Airport on the NSW South Coast on Tuesday when he lost contact. NSW Police confirmed the plane's wreckage was found about 4pm on Thursday, with a rescue helicopter locating 'what is believed to be the crashed plane near the plane's last known GPS location'. Speaking on Friday, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said crews were still working to find the cause of the crash and the pilot's whereabouts. He told reporters the impact of the crash was significant and it was 'fairly clear that wouldn't be survivable'. The pilot's body has not been located. Pilot David Stephens and his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair plane went missing in the Snowy Mountains. Supplied Credit: Supplied Superintendent Spliet said the impact of the crash was so severe 'you wouldn't recognise it as a plane'. 'Obviously, (there was) a fair bit of speed into the mountain range there, which has completely destroyed that aircraft,' he said. 'And as I said, it wouldn't be a survivable collision.' He explained the conditions in the Snowy Mountains were 'very difficult' for the emergency crews to access, with lots of snow and a 'very steep' terrain. 'It was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain up there, so it was difficult to locate initially and also due to those weather conditions,' Superintendent Spliet said. 'But when that cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the co-ordinates that we've been provided, and that's when the crash site was identified.' He said an investigation into the crash would determine if the weather played a role. 'Obviously, that evening … the weather conditions were fairly unpleasant and not very good for search and the air assets in the air at the time,' he said. 'I would say that (the weather conditions) weren't ideal.' Mr Stephens, pictured with his father, was a long-time pilot. Supplied Credit: Supplied Mr Stephens' wife Lynda Leigh told the ABC that he was an experienced pilot and only two months from retiring. He had been on his way home when he disappeared. 'It is known that the mountain weather can turn very quickly, and we can only assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta,' she said. '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.' Friend and Frog's Hollow Flyers aero club president Tony Radcliffe told 9News that Mr Stephens was a 'very capable' pilot, though Mr Radcliffe was worried about the conditions Mr Stephens faced. 'We call it tiger country, anywhere that's difficult to make a forced landing,' he told the outlet. 'We're all aware of the different possibilities in flying light aircraft. David's very capable and very experienced to be flying the length that he has.'
7NEWS
5 days ago
- General
- 7NEWS
Plane wreckage found in Snowy Mountains search for missing pilot David Stephens
The wreckage of a light plane missing for two days in the Snowy Mountains has been found following an extensive search in trying conditions. The alarm was raised for pilot David Stephens on Tuesday when he failed to arrive at Moruya Airport on the south coast of NSW. A rescue helicopter located what is believed to be the wreck of the Bega man's 1966 Beechcraft Debonair plane about 4pm on Thursday. It was found close to 'the plane's last known GPS location', near Khancoban. 'NSW Police Force now have carriage of this matter with investigations to continue tomorrow,' authorities said. They provided no update on the pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft. Earlier, Stephens' wife Lynda Leigh said he disappeared 'on his flight home ... after having his aircraft inspected' in Victoria. 'It is known that the mountain weather can turn very quickly, and we can only assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta,' she told the ABC in a statement. '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.' She said Stephens is a member of the Frog's Hollow Flyers aero club, a rally sport commentator on the Sapphire Coast region, and an accountant just two months from retirement. 'Which makes the situation more heartbreaking as his family was looking to spend more time with him after decades of work,' Leigh said. A huge multi-agency search team was launched to find Stephens earlier this week, with rescue crews taking to the air and sky as temperatures plummeted. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said ground crews had faced 'rugged and inaccessible alpine terrain, impacted by recent heavy snow falls'
