Witnesses have described the fateful moments before a light plane crashed at Windella near Maitland, claiming the life of the pilot.
The 44-year-old man, who was an experienced pilot, was flying a two-seater Osprey amphibious plane which crashed on a property on Denton Close just after 10.00am on Sunday.
Residents rushed to his aid and administered CPR, but the man was unable to be revived.
It's understood members of the Royal Newcastle Aero Club nearby noticed smoke coming from the plan and radioed the pilot, who was attempting to land the aircraft when the crash occurred
Local resident, Graeme Costin told Nine News, it was clear the plane was in trouble moments before it nose-dived into a backyard.
"I heard the plane going around - it was spitting and spluttering like it was staved for fuel and then I heard it sort of coming back towards the airport. The next thing I heard the motor cut out and then about 3 seconds later I heard a big bang," he said.
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| The crash scene at Windella Picture: abc.net.au |
The pilot is yet to be formally identified.
Police are working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Authority to determine the cause of the crash.
