Tragedy Strikes NSW National Park as Body of Pilot Found After Light Plane Crash
- A distress beacon was sent from the plane at 4:30pm on Thursday, sparking a massive search operation in Budawang National Park
- Police confirmed on Friday night that a body, believed to be a 60-year-old man, had been recovered from the crash site
- The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the cause of the crash, which is believed to have occurred due to unknown circumstances
**Tragedy has struck** in a remote NSW national park, where the body of a pilot has been found after his light plane crashed on Thursday afternoon. The **devastating discovery** was made by police on Friday, bringing an end to a desperate search operation that had been underway since the distress beacon was activated at 4:30pm.
According to **Detective Chief Inspector David Cackram**, the pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft, and **rescue services had feared the worst** from the outset. “They are of the view that it is unlikely the fellow would survive the impact they observed, so not looking good, unfortunately,” he said.
The **Cirus SR20** aircraft, owned by the Bankstown flying school, took off from Bankstown Airport just before 11am on Thursday, before disappearing from radar at 2:50pm over Budawang National Park. Data from flightradar24 shows the plane plummeted from 8250ft to less than 2000ft in a 25-minute period before the crash.
The **treacherous terrain** and **foggy conditions** made it difficult for rescue teams to access the crash site, with crews from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, NSW Toll Ambulance Helicopter, Fire and Rescue NSW, and NSW Ambulance working together to locate the wreckage.
**South Coast Police** have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, which will be assisted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The **Bankstown flying school** has described the Cirus SR20 as an American piston-engine, four or five seat composite monoplane, equipped with a parachute to lower the aeroplane safely to the ground in emergency situations.
As the **investigation continues**, the community is left to mourn the loss of a life in this **tragic accident**. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the pilot, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available.