ANKARA

A 16-year-old pilot died in a small plane crash southwest of Sydney, Australia, local media said on Wednesday.

The small Cessna 172 plane, registered to a local flying school, crashed in a Brownlow Hill paddock area some 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) away from where it took off at Camden Airport, 9 News reported.

It said the pilot lost contact with the control tower shortly after taking off from the airport.

In a statement, New South Wales police said the pilot and sole occupant of the plane – believed to be a 16-year-old boy – died at the scene. He has yet to be formally identified.

"Police established a crime scene which is being forensically examined," it said.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been notified and launched an investigation into the crash.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid