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Plane crashes near Australian school

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Published: June 15, 2010 at 8:58 AM

SYDNEY, June 15 (UPI) -- A light plane crashed near a school in Sydney Tuesday morning, killing the pilot and his female passenger and injuring seven people on the ground, police say.

The twin-engine Piper Mojave was involved in a medical transfer from Bankstown, Australia, to Brisbane when the pilot radioed he was having trouble maintaining altitude, The Australian reported.

Pilot Andrew Wilson, 28, was looking for a roadway to set the aircraft down when he crash-landed about 6 feet from the entrance of an elementary school.

Witnesses said there were children all around, walking to school.

Police Superintendent Ray King said it was "chaos" on the ground when the plane hit.

A car carrying a man and three children was set afire when it was struck by burning debris.

Police said the driver and the children were not seriously injured.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Topics: Andrew Wilson
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