'Watch this': Pilot's final words before losing control of plane

A pilot salesman was lucky to escape with his life after the plane he was flying crashed into a back yard in Australia.

Peter Edwards, 62, was reportedly demonstrating how his Cirrus SR22 could recover from a stall when he lost control of the plane and crashed in the Blue Mountains.

He told his two passengers: "Watch this", before the right wing dropped rapidly, and the plane went into a spin before crashing, reports the Daily Mail.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report into the incident, which stated Mr Edwards said "I'm sorry" as he released the plane's in-built parachute.

It is believed the parachute, one of the special features of the Cirrus plane, allowed the aircraft to make a softer crash landing, saving the lives of all three on board,

According to the Daily Telegraph, the report said: "The passenger in the front seat reduced the power to idle, held the nose of the aircraft up to allow the airspeed to reduce, and the stall warning message appeared on the primary flight display."

The pilot then ordered the passenger to wait until the stall buffet was felt before recovering the aircraft from the stall.

It added: "The (pilot in command) then took control of the aircraft and stated 'watch this'".

"He selected 50 per cent flap, rolled the aircraft into a left turn at about 25 degrees of bank, reduced the power to idle, and raised the nose of the aircraft.

"The passenger in the front seat queried the use of flap and the (pilot in command) confirmed it was intended."

But he then lost control of the plane.

He reportedly said he had performed the manoeuvre earlier in the day without incident.

Related articles

Fishing trawler finds plane wreck with body inside at sea

Teen pilot dies in round-the-world charity flight after ocean crash