Eight skydivers made a timely exit from a plane just moments before it tragically crashed, resulting in the death of the pilot, Paul Smith, aged 54. The incident occurred in New South Wales, Australia.
According to NSW Police Inspector Justin Marks, the eight skydivers safely parachuted from the aircraft at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet, narrowly escaping the crash that took place in Moruya, a coastal town. The wreckage came to a stop in dense bushland next to George Bass Drive, with one of the wings resting on the road itself.
Paul Smith, a veteran skydiver with close to four decades of experience, also held over 10,000 hours of flight time as a pilot in command. He was posthumously honored by the Australian Parachute Federation with the prestigious title of Master of Sport Parachuting for his significant contributions to the sport which he began at the young age of 16 in 1987.
Tragically, Mr. Smith was the sole occupant of the aircraft at the time of the crash, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have established a crime scene and are set to conduct a thorough investigation, with a report to be presented to the coroner.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has initiated an inquiry into the crash and the safety protocols leading up to the incident. A team of transport safety investigators specializing in aircraft operations, maintenance, and engineering will be dispatched to examine the accident site, gather evidence, survey the wreckage using drones, and retrieve aircraft components for further analysis in Canberra.
While it remains premature to determine the exact cause of the crash, witnesses reported hearing unusual noises and observing erratic flight patterns in the final moments before the tragedy struck, as stated by Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell. The single-engine Pilatus Porter plane, which had been in operation in Australia for only a month, was manufactured around 1980 in Switzerland and later transported from New Zealand. Notably, the aircraft had undergone significant maintenance checks prior to its arrival in Australia and had conducted multiple jumps in the preceding weeks.
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