Wanaaring, Australia— NSW Police confirmed Wednesday that a pilot died after a light aircraft crashed on an airstrip at Wanaaring in the state's remote northwest. The call came in early morning and crews found no survivors.
The aircraft went down on a dirt strip about 100 kilometers west of Bourke, near the Queensland border. The strip serves local stations and is not tower-controlled. Police said the man was the sole occupant and was believed to be in his 60s. Formal identification is still underway.
Officers from Bourke and the Brewarrina district secured two points — the main wreckage and a debris field off the runway edge. Fire and Rescue NSW units assisted after reports of fuel on the ground. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was notified by late morning.
Residents in Wanaaring, a town of fewer than 50 people, said they heard a low engine sound followed by silence. One station worker who drove to the strip said the aircraft appeared to have hit hard on landing and skidded. Police have not confirmed that account and say the sequence remains under investigation.
NSW Police said in an October 29 statement that the body was located at the crash site and the death was not being treated as suspicious. The statement urged the public to avoid the area to allow investigators and emergency crews to work without interruption.
The crash follows other light-aircraft incidents in the state this year, including a mid-air collision near Wedderburn that also left a pilot dead. Outback airstrips present specific risks — short runways, dust, crosswinds and limited emergency access.
Investigators will look at weather at time of takeoff, fuel load and mechanical condition. The Bureau will collect flight logs and maintenance records. Wanaaring recorded light winds Wednesday morning with clear visibility, according to Bureau of Meteorology data.
The airstrip remains closed. Recovery of the aircraft has been delayed pending forensic examination and arrival of air safety investigators from Sydney.
Police said a report will be prepared for the coroner.
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