Three people have died after a light plane crashed and caught fire shortly after take-off at an airport south of Sydney.
The Piper Cherokee Lance was flying from Shellharbour Airport near Wollongong in the NSW Illawarra region to Bathurst in the state's central west, according to police.
Witnesses at the airport said the plane was about 30 metres in the air when it dipped and its left wing came down in contact with the tarmac.
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Police are working to formally identify the three people involved.
"That process may take a little bit of time," Chief Inspector Aaron Wunderlich said.
Wunderlich did not confirm whether the trio were travelling to the Bathurst 1000 racing, which is being held in the regional city this weekend.
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Wunderlich said the crash it in front of up to 15 witnesses including visitors at the nearby HARS Aviation Museum and members of the NSW Rural Fire Service who were at the airport for a training day.
Wunderlich thanked emergency services for their work at the scene of the tragic accident.
"They did a fantastic job of what was really a horrific scene," he said.
The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau is investigating the crash.
9News.com.au has contacted Shellharbour Airport for comment.
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