Light plane crashes into car near Lilydale Airport, injuring two people

Consensus Summary

A light plane crashed into a white Volkswagen SUV on MacIntyre Ln in Yering, northeast of Melbourne, at approximately 2:30pm on Tuesday, injuring two occupants of the car. The Piper Cherokee, on a training flight, struck the rear passenger window of the SUV, leaving tyre marks across the bonnet before coming to rest on grass near the Lilydale Airport runway. Two people in the car—a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s—were taken to Maroondah Hospital with head injuries, while the two occupants of the plane were assessed but did not require emergency care. Both sources confirm the incident occurred during a training flight and that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the crash.

The collision occurred during a looped circuit training exercise, according to Flightradar24 data cited by 7NEWS, suggesting the plane was in close proximity to the ground when it struck the vehicle. The incident follows a previous accident at the same airport in March 2018, when a Cessna 340 overshot the runway in heavy rain but did not injure anyone. While the earlier crash involved no vehicles, the proximity of the two incidents raises questions about safety protocols at Lilydale Airport, particularly given the airport’s location near residential areas.

Key figures in the aftermath included the ATSB’s Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell, who stated the aircraft would be examined further if needed and that any critical safety issues would be addressed immediately. Emergency services, including the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and State Emergency Service (SES), responded to the scene, with 7NEWS reporting that the SES assisted in extracting a passenger from the car. Witnesses, such as Sam Theobald, described the damage to the SUV as severe, though they were initially confused by the absence of another vehicle involved in the collision. ABC also noted the car’s windscreen was cracked and the roof dented, aligning with 7NEWS’s visual evidence.

While both articles agree on the core details of the crash, they differ slightly in emphasis. 7NEWS provides specific technical details about the plane’s impact, including the nose wheel striking the car and the landing gear’s damage, while ABC focuses more on the aircraft’s final position—described by a listener as having spun around before landing. Additionally, 7NEWS explicitly names the plane as a Piper Cherokee, whereas ABC does not specify the model. Both sources, however, confirm the plane belongs to the Lilydale Flying School, which requires prior permission for landings, though neither outlet has received an official comment from the school.

The investigation by the ATSB remains ongoing, with no immediate conclusions drawn about the cause of the crash. Road closures and diversions are in place on MacIntyre Ln, and the ATSB has urged anyone with information or footage of the incident to come forward. The unresolved question is whether the crash was due to pilot error, mechanical failure, or other factors, though the ATSB’s involvement suggests a thorough examination of all possibilities. The incident underscores the risks of training flights near populated areas, particularly when adverse conditions or procedural errors come into play.