Community mourns pilot killed in mid-air collision over southwest Sydney

Tributes are pouring in for a pilot who died after two light aircraft collided mid-air over southwest Sydney on Sunday, leaving one plane destroyed (a Van’s RV-7 registered VH-EWS) in nearby bushland while the other (another Van’s RV-7 registered VH-NMG) managed a safe landing. The pilots were part of four aircraft of the Freedom Formation Display Team.

The fatal crash occurred just before midday near Napperfield Airfield in Wedderburn, close to Appin. Emergency services rushed to the scene after witnesses reported seeing two planes make contact in flight.

One aircraft crashed into dense bushland, where rescuers later found the body of the pilot, believed to have been the sole occupant. Despite the difficult terrain, police, paramedics and firefighters worked quickly to secure the area, but the pilot could not be saved.

The second aircraft, though damaged, was able to land safely back at the airfield. Its pilot was unharmed.

Authorities have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mid-air collision, with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau expected to examine both aircraft, radar data and flight paths.

Friends, colleagues and members of the local aviation community have begun sharing tributes, remembering the deceased pilot as a skilled aviator and valued friend. Support is also being offered to those who witnessed the incident and the surviving pilot.

Investigators continue to work at the crash site as the community grapples with the sudden loss.

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