Metro missing south of Sydney

[Nigel C]

From www.news.com.au

Sydney plane crash, pilot missing

April 10, 2008 02:30am

A MAJOR search is underway for the pilot of a cargo plane that has crashed into water in Sydney's south after experiencing "technical difficulties."

The pilot, the sole person on board the Metroliner, raised the alarm just minutes after leaving Sydney Airport at 11.20pm last night.

Authorities hold grave fears for the pilot.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman Peter Gibson said five nautical miles after leaving the airport, it reported technical problems then minutes later disappeared off the radar.

After a massive search involving water police, rescue helicopters and even local fisherman, the wreckage was found about 500m off Bundeena Beach.

Witness Andrew Holmes, 29, of Caringbah said he was driving his boat to a boat mooring when he saw a plane flying erratically dipping left and right.

"I saw it go up in the clouds and then lost it. About 30 seconds later it came down out of the clouds at a 45 degree angle, tried to level out and then just disappeared on the horizon," he said.

The twin turbo propeller plane, operated by Airtex Aviation based out of Bankstown Airport, was transporting mail to Brisbane.