<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>333312</docID> <postdate>2024-11-17 15:03:36</postdate> <headline>Pilot, teens identified as trio killed in plane crash</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-333313" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20200219001450190730-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>A pilot and his two teenage passengers died when the light aircraft crashed into a paddock. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Rachael Ward</strong> in Melbourne</span></p> <p><strong>A 20-year-old pilot and his two teenage passengers have been identified as the three people killed in a light plane crash in eastern Victoria.</strong></p> <p>The plane was seen circling at Tinamba West in east Gippsland before crashing into a paddock and bursting into flames at about 5.45pm on Saturday, Victoria Police said.</p> <p>The three people onboard were boys aged 15 and 16 from Tongala in central Victoria and the pilot from Tinamba West, police said.</p> <p>Edge Aviation founder and chief flying instructor Lorraine MacGillivray said the pilot worked as a flight instructor.</p> <p>"I saw a couple of the family members and like you'd expect, with any families, they are devastated and trying to come to terms with what's occurred," Ms MacGillivray told AAP.</p> <p>"In communities in regional areas like this, there are a lot of people that know each other and stuff like that, so there's a significant ripple effect, I understand going through those communities."</p> <p>She said it would not be appropriate to speculate on the cause of the crash and the aviation community had also been impacted by the tragedy.</p> <p>"These accidents are always just so tragic and I think that our regulators need to start having a close look at why they're happening and can we be doing things different," she added.</p> <p>The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the crash, describing the plane as an "amateur-built light aircraft".</p> <p>A team of investigators specialising in aircraft operations and maintenance will probe what happened.</p> <p>They will examine the wreckage, interview witnesses, comb through flight tracking data, examine other records and take pieces of the aircraft away for further examination in Canberra.</p> </body>