A community south of Sydney is reeling after a fiery plane crash killed a pilot, his wife, and their friend, when their aircraft slammed into the runway just after takeoff on a flight bound for Bathurst.

Shellharbour

A Piper Cherokee Lance aircraft crashed shortly after departing from Albion Park in New South Wales, resulting in the deaths of the plane's owner, his wife, and a friend. The aircraft became airborne briefly before coming down hard on the runway, rupturing its fuel tank and igniting a fire that consumed most of the plane.

Emergency services responded quickly, but there were no survivors. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has closed Shellharbour Airport to investigate the incident, which is the fourth fatal light aircraft crash in the region in recent weeks. Authorities are examining flight tracking data and maintenance records to determine the cause.

Three killed in light plane crash at Shellharbour Airport

The remnants of a devastating crash. Only the blue and white tail of this small plane left behind, the rest of the aircraft smouldering on the ground. It's quite a gruesome scene. It's obviously a very tragic incident, very sad. The Piper Cherokee Lance left Albion Park in NSW South just before 10 o'clock this morning. Bound for Bathurst, but moments after it took off, witnesses say the plane came down hard, smashing into the runway, rupturing the fuel tank and was engulfed by flames. We know very shortly after the takeoff, it has very briefly become airborne and then has come down hard left and impacted the runway and then been consumed with a post-impact fire. The three souls on board had no chance of survival. The plane's owner, Andrew Connors, his wife and his friend, killed within seconds. There's nothing we could have done. Even the first arriving crew from the RFS was out of their hands. In all my time as a police officer, I've never been to an aviation incident like this. Friends of all on board have told 10 News the loss will be felt throughout the whole of the Illawarra, but Connors, a friend to all, remembered for their commitment to the community and for being a friendly face. Today's incident is the latest in what's becoming a long list of light airplane crashes. This is our fourth fatal accident that the ATSB has investigated in the last two weeks alone. The Shell Harbour Airport has been closed. Fragments of the plane will remain on the runway until specialist investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau arrive. It is fair for us to assume that something has gone wrong very quickly as that aircraft has just left the ground. Police are looking into flight tracking data and maintenance records as they try to piece together the final moments on board. Phoebe Murray, 10 News.

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