From SMH this morning -
www.smh.com.au
Doomed plane 'diving really fast'
David Braithwaite
February 5, 2007 - 11:30AM
The pilot of a light plane had little chance to escape as it nosedived into the water off a Northern NSW beach yesterday, a witness to the crash says.
Brent Lambert said today that the engines of the Piper Twin Comanche plane were roaring before it crashed 200 metres in front of his Casuarina Beach home about 5.30pm.
"It was diving really fast. There was no chance of landing it," he said.
"It looked in a bit of a nosedive - the engines were going really loud; it wasn't like it glided in."
Witnesses told police the aircraft was flying low in a northerly direction when it crashed.
Rescuers recovered the male pilot's body from the water. He was the only person aboard the aircraft and police say he is likely to be identified today.
Mr Lambert was having dinner at his beachfront house when he heard the plane's engines.
"I thought that's a bit close to the house," he said.
"I looked out and the plane was coming in on a 45-degree angle straight into the ocean - it made a massive bang into the water."
After he phoned triple-0, Mr Lambert said he and other onlookers on the nearly deserted beach swam out to the submerged plane in the hope of rescuing any survivors.
"As soon as I got out there, I found the headrest to a seat and the petrol canister off the wing. There was a lot of safety gear around and fuel all through the water."
There was a strong rip in the surf at the crash site and the recovery of the body from near the plane indicated the pilot had not jumped, Mr Lambert said.
"It was diving that fast, I couldn't see how someone could get out of it," he said.
"It looked like it was going south to north, so I assume he was trying to land on the beach."
Air Transport Safety Bureau investigators would examine the crash site this afternoon, the bureau's deputy director aviation safety investigation, Julian Walsh, said.
The plane had taken off from Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta and it was believed the pilot had reported engine problems, Mr Walsh said.
Witnesses to the crash can phone the bureau on 1800 020 616, he said.