A flight instructor and trainee have narrowly avoided disaster after their light plane crash-landed in Bossley Park, steering clear of a nearby school and homes on Thursday.
The faulty Piper PA-28 took off from Bankstown Airport, in Sydney’s southwest, about 2.20pm before crashing into trees lining the Terone Park – a playground for Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School – about five minutes later.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Light plane crash
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
The 37-year-old male pilot and 34-year-old female trainee sustained minor injuries. Both were assessed by paramedics but chose not to go to hospital.
The plane was on a training flight and appeared to suffer engine failure before making the emergency landing, Fire and Rescue NSW said in a statement.
It was believed to be carrying up to 340 litres of fuel and a 100m fire protection zone was set up to monitor for leaks.
7NEWS obtained the pilot’s radio call to the tower seconds before the crash, showing how he had remained calm in the emergency.
“Mayday, mayday, mayday,” the pilot called. “We’re going to be forced landing.”
The tower called for other planes to keep a look out and locals rushed to the crash site.
“So straight away I ran to save the pilot. We moved some (trees), me and two guys, and we saved them,” one witness told 7NEWS.
Another witness said children finishing school at 3pm typically “run down into that direction” where the plane crashed.
“There could have been a huge catastrophe,” she said.
Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School principal Beverly Coffey said parents coming to pick up their children informed staff of the crash.
“We thought they might have had too many drinks in the afternoon, (then) we looked out and we could see it,” she said.
Teachers and administrative staff donned high-visibility clothing to handle “some pretty upset kids”, but the crash did not otherwise impact the end of the school day, Coffey said.
The plane took off from Bankstown at 2.23pm and crashed five minutes later, according to FlightAware.
“The young pilot shut down a series of onboard systems and made the emergency landing,” Fire and Rescue NSW said.
“The sports park was occupied by students from an adjacent school at the time of the crash, but none have been injured.”
The plane was reportedly carrying up to 340L of fuel, and FRNSW is monitoring a 100m fire protection zone in case of any atmospheric change or fuel leaks.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the cause of the crash.
– with reporting from Bill Hogan and AAP