Sydney plane crash: A small plane with a flight instructor and a student pilot on board made an emergency landing on a golf course in Sydney's Northern Beaches yesterday afternoon, and both men suffered only minor injuries. The authorities have confirmed that the crash involved a Piper Cherokee single-engine plane, which crashed at the Mona Vale Golf Course shortly after 2 pm (local time) while in training.

According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which has opened an investigation, the plane was on a routine training flight when the mishap occurred. Witnesses said the aircraft appeared to suffer an engine problem, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing on the fairway. The student and the instructor, both in their 50s, were rescued from the wreckage by passersby before paramedics arrived. New South Wales Ambulance officials confirmed that the men incurred minor injuries, including facial lacerations, for the trainee pilot. They were both taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital in stable conditions, officials added.

Eyewitnesses Describe Dramatic Moment

Golfers who were witnesses mentioned by the local press witnessed the plane coming in quite a low altitude with no evidence of engine noise before skidding over the lawn. “The plane came in really low over the top of our heads, and there was no propeller movement. It didn’t even sound like an engine was on,” said Callum Nicholls, a member of the Mona Vale Golf Club.

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Another witness, Jason, who filmed the incident, said to local media the pilot’s handling of the emergency was commendable. “It was losing altitude quickly, but you could see it was a pretty textbook landing given the circumstances. All props to the pilot — he brought it down safely,” he said.

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The ATSB has stated that investigators will inspect the wreckage to ascertain if the failure of an engine led to the crash. Preliminary results are due in the next few weeks. Police have also fenced off the area while rubbish is cleared from the golf course. The Sydney light plane crash occurs amid renewed fears over aviation safety in training flights. But authorities said both survivors were lucky to have escaped with non-life-threatening injuries, describing it as a "miraculous outcome.