Media Release

Missing Aircraft Located at Mount Hotham

The crash site of a missing Piper Chieftan aircraft was located late this morning after weather lifted sufficiently to enable helicopters to begin an aerial search of the area. An intesive ground search has been conducted over the past forty-eight hours.

Search and rescue personnel were winched into the area where the aircraft was found and have established that the aircraft is the missing Piper Chieftan. After an examination of the wreckage, the officers have assessed the crash as non-survivable by the three occupants of the aircraft.

The aircraft was on a flight from Melbourne’s Essendon Airport to Mount Hotham north east of Melbourne on Friday afternoon when radio contact was lost as the aircraft approached the Mount Hotham airfield.

The crash site was located in rugged mountainous terrain about [30] kilometres from the Mount Hotham airstrip.

Between 60 and 80 Victoria Police, State Emergency Service personnel and local volunteers have been searching the area during daylight hours on foot and horseback in extremely difficult conditions.

Heavy snow, strong winds and low cloud had restricted visibility preventing an aerial search until this morning.

The accident will now be a matter for investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Further Information:

Tracey Jiggins: 0418 164 901