A man in his 50s has died while being rescued from the scene of a horrific outback plane crash.
The man was a passenger on a Beechcraft Baron 58 aircraft which was being flown by a 29-year-old pilot who suffered serious burns in the crash.
The pair were due to land at East Kimberley Regional Airport in Kununurra about 8.40am Saturday.
A man who was fishing at Bandicoot Point called police around that time to report the plane had crash landed between the local river and the airport.
Witnesses said the plane appeared to have “overshot” the runway before it caught fire and was seen with thick black smoke billowing from it.
Multiple emergency service crews rushed to the scene to extinguish the blaze and rescue the men.
After being freed from the wreckage the pilot was taken to Kununurra Hospital to wait for the Royal Flying Doctor Service which is expected to transport him to Darwin Hospital for further treatment.
The man in his 50s became unresponsive while his evacuation from the scene was being organised and he could not be revived.
The West Australian reports the men were believed to have been performing a mail delivery service from Broome to Kununurra when the plane crashed.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced an investigation into the cause of the crash.
“The ATSB is deploying a team of transport safety investigators from our Canberra, Brisbane and Sydney offices wixjmtzywth expertise in aircraft operations and maintenance to the accident site,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
“Once on site, over a number of days investigators will examine the wreckage and site surrounds, and will retrieve any relevant components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.
“The ATSB will also analyse any available recorded data, interview witnesses and parties with a knowledge of the flight, and review aircraft maintenance and pilot records.”
