A light aircraft crash-landed on a golf course in Sydney's northern beaches on Saturday afternoon, but both occupants escaped serious injury. The incident occurred during a training flight just after 2 p.m. and involved an instructor pilot and a student.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) confirmed that the aircraft was a Piper Cherokee. Aerial footage captured the plane on the Mona Vale Golf Club course, showing visible damage to one of its wings and missing wheels.
Paramedics from NSW Ambulance treated the two individuals, both in their 50s, for minor injuries at the scene. One person sustained minor facial injuries. After initial treatment, they were transported to Royal North Shore Hospital for further evaluation.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the crash landing, but they suspect it may be related to engine trouble. Witnesses described the event on social media, with one stating that the plane "just fell out of the sky." Another witness remarked, "It was crazy, we literally just heard this noise, and then all of a sudden it went bang. And next thing you know these guys are still playing their golf game, pretending like a plane just hasn't fallen from the sky."
Flight Tracker data indicates that the aircraft took off from Shellharbour, near Wollongong, earlier that day and made a stop in Camden before heading north. The ATSB is currently gathering evidence regarding the forced landing, but it remains unclear if a formal investigation will be initiated.