A pilot in his 50s was seriously hurt when his plane crashed on the ground during an airshow near Melbourne on Friday. This accident happened at Avalon Airport while many people were watching. The pilot was the only person on board the small plane.
After the crash, he was quickly flown to Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, according to Ambulance Victoria. Videos showed the plane going up in the air for a loop as part of its routine before suddenly diving to the ground. The aircraft was part of the Paul Bennet Aerobatics Team.
Witnesses reported what they saw. One person, Andrew Pearce, described how the plane went down, saying it didn’t just drop; it hit the ground hard. Other members of the aerobatics team didn’t land immediately because they didn’t know if it was safe to do so. Another spectator, Geoff Crane, added that the plane that crashed caught his attention while watching the others in the air.
The pilot suffered serious injuries to his upper and lower body, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is sending a team to investigate what happened. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell stated that they would look into flight data, pilot records, and weather conditions.
The name of the pilot has not been shared yet. The AMDA Foundation, which runs the Avalon airshow, said in a statement that the pilot is in serious but stable condition. They assured that no one else was hurt in the audience and that the show was paused so ATSB could examine the crash site. They are planning to restart the airshow Saturday morning but will check the situation tonight first. Their thoughts are with the pilot and his family, friends, and teammates.
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