The wreckage of the aircraft on runway 34.
Three people have died after a light plane crashed and caught on fire south of Wollongong on Saturday morning.
The plane crashed at about 10am at Shellharbour Airport shortly after taking off, NSW Police said in a statement. Upon hitting the ground, the plane caught fire.
Three people have died after a light plane crashed and caught on fire south of Wollongong on Saturday morning.
Photos from the scene show fire trucks on the runway dousing blackened debris with water and ambulance and police crews nearby. The plane appeared to be virtually destroyed, with the tail the only part of the plane not burnt out.
The airport was hosting an open day with the local aviation museum on Saturday, with several historic planes being flown – but a museum representative said the crash was not connected to their event and that the plane was privately owned.
Katelin McInerney, the local Labor MP elected to the seat of Kiama in last month’s byelection, said the news was “devastating”.
“My thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved in the crash, as well as the dedicated first responders,” she wrote on social media.
“Emergency crews have responded and fire has been extinguished by NSW Fire and Rescue.”
Police said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau had been notified of the incident.
