Snowy Mountains: Police rescue teams find body of pilot, David Stephens, after light plane crash in NSW

A search and recovery party that set out to locate the wreckage of a small plane after it crashed in the NSW Snowy Mountains has discovered the body of pilot David Stephens.
Police have confirmed that the body of the only occupant had been located in the wreckage, following a multi-day search for the plane after it went missing earlier this week.
At around 4pm on Thursday, a rescue helicopter located the crash site near Khancoban, and just before 3pm on Friday, police located Mr Stephen’s body at the crash site.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Police remain at the site and it is expected the body will be removed sometime on Friday evening.
The aircraft was on a private flight from Wangaratta in Victoria to Moruya on the NSW South Coast on Tuesday, and was reported missing when it did not arrive.
The Beechworth Debonair light plane flown by the 74-year-old from Bega was last recorded on GPS near Dargals Trail in the Kosciuszko National Park.
“You wouldn’t recognise it as an aeroplane” NSW Police Superintendent Andrew Spliet said of the wreckage on Friday.
“It’s a significant impact, a fair bit of speed into the mountain range which has completely destroyed that aircraft.
“It wouldn’t be survivable,” he told reporters.
Australia’s aviation safety watchdog announced they had begun an investigation into the crash and would provide a preliminary report in about two months.
Tracking data, weather information and maintenance records will all form part of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s probe.
“Should a critical safety issue be identified during the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so safety action can be taken,” the bureau said in a statement.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
with AAP.