Pilot killed after reported mid-air collision in Australia’s Sydney

SYDNEY: Two light planes reportedly collided mid-air during a formation flight over Sydney’s outskirts on Sunday, sending one of them crashing to the ground and killing its solo pilot, authorities said.

Responders found the pilot’s body in bushland near the airport in Wedderburn, a southwestern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales state police said.

“Police were told two light planes had collided mid-air, before one of the planes crashed nearby in bushland,” they said in a statement.Responding emergency services located the body of the pilot, believed to be the sole occupant of the aircraft,” police added.

“The other plane landed safely at the airfield, and the pilot was uninjured.”

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was investigating a collision between two Van’s RV-7 aircraft — two-seater, single-engine homebuilt kit planes.

“As reported to the ATSB, the two aircraft had been involved in a formation flight of four aircraft that was returning to land at Wedderburn Airport when the collision occurred,” it said in a statement.