Planes collide in Sydney, two pilots die

Two female pilots were killed when their light plane crashed into the back of a Sydney house after a mid-air collision with a second training flight.
The Basair Aviation College instructor and her student, believed to be aged 21 and
18, were in a Cessna 152 flying over Casula, in Sydney's south-west, when the
collision occurred about 11.30am (AEDT) on Thursday.
The second plane, a single engine Liberty carrying an 89-year-old instructor and his
25-year-old male student, immediately sent a mayday before flying the 10km to
Bankstown Airport.
Police said it was "a miracle" the Liberty was able to make a safe emergency landing
at the airport, where the elderly Sydney Flight Training Centre instructor and his
student walked away with minor injuries.
Witnesses described seeing the planes hit, tearing the tail of the Cessna which then
hurtled to the ground, demolishing the rear patio of a newly-completed house on
Flame Tree Street, Casula.
"I just saw the other (plane) out of nowhere and I thought 'geez, they're close' and
he's just run straight into the back of it," a witness, who was among the first on
the scene, told Macquarie Radio.
"The back tail section has, like, flung around and was still hanging on, but was
disconnected, and it's just nosedived, just straight down into the houses.
"It was horrific, it was like watching a movie."
The man, who had been lopping trees nearby, checked for pulses on the two women but
said it was obvious they had not survived.
"It just tore open like a tin can, there was just nothing of it," he said of the
Cessna.
"I thought it was going to come down on the M5, so they did well to get it off the
road and crash it where they did."
Bianca and Steven Condina were not home when the plane struck their house, with the
new mum choosing that morning for her two-week-old son Aiden's first photo with
Santa.
"We're very lucky, we've been blessed," Mrs Condina told the Nine Network, adding
she thought a phone call about the crash was "a joke".
Mr Condina said the family was still awaiting the all-clear from investigators
before they could return to their home.
Distraught Basair staff and students were being counselled after the shock deaths of
their colleagues, as friends took flowers to the airport and the crash site.
"There's nothing worse in aviation. Unfortunately it is a part of aviation," the
flight school's business development manager, Darren Ward, told reporters.
"People suffer accidents on the roads regularly - it happens in aeroplanes too."
Air Services Australia spokesman Rob Walker said the collision happened outside
controlled airspace.
"Light aircraft generally fly at the lower altitudes ... they fly according to CASA
regulations which means they basically keep a lookout and avoid, so they basically
self-separate," he said.
Media reports and messages posted in a chatroom for professional pilots named the
elderly flying instructor involved as former World War II pilot Ken Andrew.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) said pilots were subject to more rigorous
testing once they turned 65.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the 89-year-old would have undergone medical and
flying proficiency tests every six months to retain his commercial licence.
"After age 80 we have the flexibility to require any additional tests we think may
be needed," he added.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will brief media at the Casula crash site on
Friday.
Staff at Basair Aviation College are being counselled after the loss of their two
colleagues.
Basair Aviation College chief executive officer David Trevelyan said the accident
had shocked instructors and students.
He said he sympathised with the victims' families and could not release any details
about the two women."
Mr Trevelyan said counselling had been provided for staff and students at the
college, which is based at Bankstown Airport and has about 100 students.
He said it was the first time the college had been involved in an accident.
Friends have gathered near the crash scene, with one saying the women were aged 18
and 21.
Meanwhile, residents of Casula say the loss of the two women in the plane crash is a
terrible shock so soon after a horrific local murder.
Residents of Flame Tree Street said they were "shocked" by the tragedy, just two
days after Casula was rocked by the murder of service station worker Melissa Cook.
Ms Cook, 29, was shot in the chest by her violent ex-husband John Kudrytch at a
Casula BP service station. Kudrytch later killed himself.
"Yesterday we had the tragedy at the BP service station. It is definitely shocking,"
said resident Rob, who lives 200 metres from the crash site.
"The whole street is full with emergency crews and police officers. There's a lot of
residents from the area having a look."
Joey Bernal, who lives on nearby Box Road, said he heard police cars and ambulances
and thought "it was another crime scene".
"I feel bad about it," he said.
"Casula is a quiet suburb."