Police are re-appealing for witnesses following a fatal plane crash near Cessnock yesterday.

About 4.30pm (Wednesday 8 July 2015), emergency services were called to Sawyers Gully after reports a light plane had crashed into dense bushland.

Officers from Central Hunter Local Area Command attended and located the plane well-alight.

The fire was extinguished by the NSW Rural Fire Service before the body of the 55-year-old pilot was located inside.

No one else was injured during the incident.

A crime scene has been established and is being examined by specialist forensic officers and investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) today (Thursday 9 July 2015).

A report is being prepared for the Coroner.

Investigators are appealing for any witnesses who may have observed the plane in flight yesterday prior to the crash to contact Maitland Detectives on (02) 4934 0200 or Crime Stoppers.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.