A day in the skies has turned to tragedy for the pilot of a glider that crashed at Pipers Airfield in Eglinton, near Bathurst in central NSW, on Sunday afternoon.
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NSW Police said the pilot, a 75-year-old man, was killed in the crash.
The man was the sole occupant of the aircraft, which was a single-engine Schleicher ASH-25M powered glider.
A spokesman from Bathurst Soaring Club told Fairfax Media the man was a club member.
"I can confirm there was a fatality and it was one of the members," the spokesman, who did not wish to be named, said.
A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman was unable to comment due to the fatality.
Following the crash, the field caught fire.
However, police said the fire was contained by firefighters from the Rural Fire Service and Fire & Rescue NSW.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has sent two investigators to investigate and witnesses are encouraged to contact police
Police said personnel from the Gliding Federation of Australia will also assist in the investigation.
