The family of a Melbourne pilot who lost his life when the single-engine Cessna he was flying crashed into a suburban street are pleading for privacy, as investigators continue to examine the wreckage.
Investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Saturday examined the Scarlet Street site at Mordialloc where the plane crashed just after 5pm on Friday.
The 50-year-old pilot has been named by friends and media outlets as father-of-two Anthony Liddell.
Victoria Police said the family has asked for privacy while they grieve.
Kirkhope Aviation described Mr Liddell as experienced in aircraft maintenance and "so capable in so many spheres" in a post on social media.
Mr Liddell's plane tore down power lines as it crashed and caught fire, with flames rising higher than seven metres before they were put out by firefighters.
The Cessna also appeared to have lightly clipped the corner of a house and damaged its front fence.
ATSB executive director Nat Nagy said witnesses saw the plane take a turn before crashing into the ground.
"Unfortunately, a pilot has lost their life. Our goal is to look at exactly what happened in the lead up to that in the hope it won't happen again," he said.
Mr Nagy declined to speculate on the circumstances of the crash, but said investigators would stay on site for several days.
Nearby Moorabbin Airport and the plane's operator, Oxford Aviation Academy, have declined to comment.
