One dead in Gippsland plane crash

A Victorian man has died in a light plane crash on Christmas morning in south
Gippsland.
The 62-year-old is believed to have died instantly when the aircraft apparently
clipped a power line and crashed into a paddock off Edden Road, Woodleigh, about
8.40am (AEDT).
The pilot was the sole occupant of the single engined plane and lived locally,
police said.
It took emergency services some time to reach the burning wreckage.
Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said firefighters used foam to douse the
flames.
"The firies are there and they've called for extra foam," he told AAP.
"There are power lines which are down which would indicate that it's hit the power
lines."
The coroner is investigating and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has
been notified.
The man's identity has yet to be released.
ATSB spokesman Neville McMartin said the bureau would provide technical assistance
if required but the coroner was responsible for probing the cause of the crash.
"Our brief is to investigate accidents that have a safety return, we concentrate on
the commercial operators ... and the more private operations that are going to have
some safety benefit," he told AAP.
"Based on the information we have currently from the police, (our understanding) is
that the aircraft has hit a power line."