A man has died in a light plane crash at Windella, in west Maitland.
The plane crashed in a paddock between Denton Close and Beacon Hill Road about 10.15am Sunday.
Residents rushed to the scene and removed the pilot, performing CPR until paramedics arrived, but he could not be saved.
Witnesses said the plane was flying low over houses and appeared on approach to nearby Maitland Airport, also known as Royal Newcastle Aero Club, on the outskirts of Rutherford, when it banked sharply to the left and crashed in the paddock.
The pilot, believed to be a 44-year-old man, was the only person aboard.
A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, was part of the rescue efforts and said it appeared the plane's motor had stopped.
"We didn't hear anything before the bang, we didn't hear a motor," he said.
"Normally when they go over, you hear the engine, even if they are coasting coming into land."
He said a group of residents, which included a pilot, worked quickly to alert emergency services and save the man.
"When I first got over there, he had the seatbelt wrapped around him and it was right into the area we were trying to get into," he said.
"So I got a pair of sidecutters, just to cut the belt, and it dropped off.
"Then someone said we can lift the plane, so we started moving the plane to get him out.
"There was fuel leaking but it wasn't going anywhere where it was going to cause any issues."
He said the pilot had "massive head and facial injuries". Another resident performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
The resident said there had been three serious incidents with aircrafts, two fatal, in Windella during his 20 years there. He was surprised there had not been more given the amount of small planes taking off and landing at Maitland Airport.
NSW Ambulance duty operations manager Shane Harris said "residents worked with emergency services to free the man and shortly after he was pronounced deceased".
Mr Harris said the crashed plane was "an ultra-light style aircraft and, from what I understand, it could potentially be homemade."
A crime scene has been established.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has also been notified.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
