Camden: Heartbreaking details emerge after solo pilot aged just 16 is killed in plane crash
A 16-year-old boy who was tragically killed when his light aircraft crashed was making his first ever solo flight.
The young pilot took off from Camden Airport in Sydney’s south-west in a Cessna 172 at 3.05pm on Wednesday.
The aviation enthusiast reached an altitude of 1,500 feet at 3:07 p.m., and contact with the Cessna was lost less than a minute later.
Emergency services were called to Brownlow Hill Loop Rd at 3.15pm to respond to a plane crash.
The 16-year-old was training for his recreational pilot’s license and had been given permission by the instructors to fly unsupervised.
The young pilot was halfway through a four-mile loop when the plane “descended rapidly” and crashed into the ground.
The plane skidded through a paddock before breaking up.
“During the left turn into the base portion of the circuit, the aircraft descended rapidly and collided with terrain,” Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said. 7News.
There is an audio recording of another pilot communicating the catastrophic scene to air traffic control.
“I think we have a plane on the ground here… it doesn’t look good. Unfortunately, it doesn’t even look like an airplane,” he said.
Both Australian Transport Safety Bureau officers and police are investigating the incident.
The AltoCap Flying School has grounded its fleet.
The 16-year-old had only enrolled at Camden school last month and dreamed of becoming a pilot.
Emergency services were called to Brownlow Hill Loop Rd at 3.15pm to respond to a plane crash (pictured)
The aviation enthusiast reached an altitude of 1,500 feet at 3:07 p.m., and contact with the Cessna was lost less than a minute later
Benjamin Morgan, CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said he was a “very smart and enthusiastic” teenager who wanted a career in commercial aviation.
In Australia, civil aviation laws require all aspiring pilots to be at least 15 years old to fly solo and 16 years old to obtain their first recreational license.
A private pilot’s license can be applied for at the age of 17.
A recreational permit allows pilots to fly single-engine aircraft unsupervised during the day but within a training area.
A private license offers more freedom, allowing pilots to fly solo anywhere in Australia during the day.
Although there are training hours and instructors assess a student’s abilities, some experts firmly believe that the hours are not enough and the age limit is too low.
Aircraft engineer Peter Marosszeky said that even though there are some teenagers who are adept at picking up the training, he believes the age is still too young to fly solo.
Mr Marosszeky said about 25 hours of required flight time doesn’t seem enough when you consider how long it takes for a 16-year-old to get a driver’s license.
“You have to ask yourself, ‘Has he gotten the right training?’ It would be a very wise young 16-year-old who would say to the instructor, ‘Look, I don’t think I have enough confidence,’ he said.