The identity of a Perth man who died alongside his friend in a plane crash shortly after take-off in NSW has been revealed.
The West Australian understands Revel Downing, 58, died alongside his 63-year-old close friend known as “Will” after the pair crashed a recently purchased two-seater kit-built aircraft near Scone Memorial Airport on Friday afternoon.
Both men are understood to be members of the Sport Aircraft Builders Club of WA, which is based at Serpentine Airfield.
The West has been told that both men were experienced recreational pilots with connections to WA’s kit-plane community. It is understood they had travelled to NSW with the intention of bringing the newly-purchased plane back home.
NSW Police said the Aeropup plane crashed in a paddock close to the small town of Scone in the NSW Upper Hunter, about 270km north of Sydney.
Emergency services were called to the scene just before 2pm local time on Friday, discovering the bodies of the two men in the cockpit.
The 2012-built plane which crashed was sold just last month.
A for-sale advertisement described the Aeropup aircraft as Australian designed and built, well-proven and with foldable wings for easier transport and storage.
The online advertisement listed the plane as sold for a price of $38,000.
NSW Police on Friday were working to identify the men, confirming they died on impact.
“We are in the early stages of the investigation at this stage so all things are being considered whether it be weather, pilot error, mechanical error,” NSW Police Inspector Todd Hobson said.
The family of both men have been since been informed by police of their tragic deaths.
Police are preparing a report for the coroner. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was aware of the crash, but did not investigate recreational aircraft accidents.