Authorities in New South Wales have confirmed the discovery of a crashed aircraft believed to be the one that vanished over the Snowy Mountains earlier this week.

The plane, piloted by 74-year-old David Stephens, failed to arrive at Moruya Airport on the Far South Coast of NSW around 4.30pm on Tuesday, prompting an extensive search operation.

Mr Stephens, a tax accountant nearing retirement, had departed from Wangaratta in north-east Victoria in his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair aircraft. NSW Police reported that the wreckage was located near the plane’s last known GPS coordinates at approximately 4pm on Thursday.

“A rescue helicopter located what is believed to be the crashed plane near the plane’s last known GPS location,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.

Police have not yet released details regarding Mr Stephens’ condition, though he is understood to have been the sole occupant of the aircraft.

Search teams battle snow and fog in Kosciuszko National Park

The search operation, initially led by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), faced significant challenges due to the rugged and snow-covered terrain of Kosciuszko National Park. The aircraft’s last known location was near Khancoban, in the western foothills of the Snowy Mountains, close to the remote Dargals Trail.

AMSA response centre duty manager Dan Gillis described the conditions as “hazardous,” noting that ground crews were struggling to access the heavily snowed-in trails.

“The ground crew are having significant challenges with access to the region, the trails are heavily snowed in, it’s very rugged terrain and very steep alpine terrain that they’re trying to navigate through,” Mr Gillis said.

Temperatures in the area ranged between five and ten degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with snow showers forecast at higher altitudes. Further showers and sub-zero temperatures are expected on Friday.

David Stephens was widely regarded as a respected figure in the Sapphire Coast community and served as secretary of the Bega Valley aviation club, Frog’s Hollow Flyers. Eric Johnston, owner of the club’s airstrip, told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Stephens had been a valued member for about a year and was “highly respected” by fellow aviators.

His wife, Lynda Leigh, spoke to ABC News about the heartbreak the family has endured since his disappearance.

“Unfortunately, David disappeared on his flight home on Tuesday, July 15, after having his aircraft inspected,” Ms Leigh said.

“It is known that the mountain weather can turn very quickly, and we can only assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta.

David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can’t know what situation he was facing, and we’ll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David.”

Ms Leigh described her husband as an experienced pilot who had ensured the aircraft was inspected prior to departure.

NSW Police have now assumed control of the investigation, with further search and recovery efforts scheduled to continue on Friday. The operation has involved multiple agencies, including the NSW State Emergency Service, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Snowy Hydro, and aerial support from Victoria and the ACT.

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Source: Legit.ng