One dead in light plane crash in WA’s south

An Albany pilot has died in a light plane crash in WA’s south.

Police say the 40-year-old man was the only person onboard the Cessna 210 when it went down in Redmond, north-west of Albany, around 11.15am on Tuesday.

The pilot was on a private flight from Albany to Bunbury.

Witnesses from a nearby dairy farm say they heard a loud explosion before seeing smoke rising from a nearby ridge.

The crash happened in dense vegetation, which has made access to the site difficult for emergency crews in the Mt Lindesay National Park — near the Redmond-Hay River Road.

A paramedic had to be winched down to the crash site by the Bunbury RAC Rescue helicopter, where it was confirmed the 41-year-old man had died.

A CASA spokesman said authorities had received reports of a plane spiralling out of control followed by smoke in the area.

What caused the plane to crash remains unclear and an investigation is under way.

A bulldozer has been sent to the Mt Lindesay National Park to clear a path to allow crash investigators into the site.

Two investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau after expected to arrive in the region at around midday on Wednesday.

An ATSB spokesman said a preliminary examination of the crash scene would likely begin in the afternoon and take up to two days.

Witnesses to the crash are also expected to be interviewed.