A young pilot has died and another has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after two small planes crashed in outback South Australia within hours.
A small plane crashed into a meadow near Mulgathing, about 260 kilometers southwest of Coober Pedy and about 830 kilometers northwest of Adelaide about 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.
It took police, emergency crews and the Royal Flying Doctor Service several hours to reach the scene due to the distance.
The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft, Adam Snell, 22, died in the crash.
The young pilot is understood to have graduated from a flight school in New Zealand four years ago and had been working at a Mulgathing station operated by Jumbo Pastoral for the past seven months.
Snell’s death sparked an outpouring of tributes. A close friend described him as funny, honest and trustworthy.
Adam Snell died after his light plane crashed into a meadow near Mulgathing in outback South Australia.
Adam Snell died in one of two light aircraft crashes in outback South Australia on Thursday
At around 2pm, emergency services received reports that a second light aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Evelyn Downs, north of Coober Pedy.
The lone pilot, 42, from Arcoona, flew more than 1000 kilometers to Adelaide with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has launched an investigation into both accidents.
