THE wreckage of what appears to be an aircraft has been uncovered at Birubi Beach.
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A couple from One Mile came across the wreckage on Saturday after Greg Field had spotted something in the sand during a Hash House Harriers social run.
It is not unusual for wreckage to turn up on the Stockton beach, especially after wild weather like that experienced during the past two weeks.
This time, sand erosion has uncovered what looks like an entire aircraft, dating back to the '50s or '60s, begging the question "what is the story behind this wreck?".
"After digging it out a little and then coming back later with a couple of friends to dig a little more, we uncovered what appears to be the wreck of an old small plane," Kirstin Hides said.
"Members of the public might like to walk down and view it."
The wreck is within a two-minute walk from the bottom Birubi Beach car park.
Local folklore says it could be the resting place of a CA-27 Sabre jet which crashed on the beach in the early '60s.
The crash is documented in the Australian Defence Force listings online at adf-serials.com.
On February 10, 1960, a CAC CA-27 Sabre from RAAF Base Williamtown, flown by Flight Lieutenant R Allen, crashed on the beach after it over-shot its approach and experienced engine failure.
The pilot ejected but after he had jettisoned the canopy, he was struck on the head and died.
There were reportedly three similar pilot deaths caused by unsuccessful Sabre ejections and eventually a modification was devised where the canopy was shattered by a spring-loaded bolt to clear the way for the pilot.
Parks and Wildlife officers investigated the site on Monday and believe the aircraft may have been planted there as part of target practice when the Williamtown pilots used the beach as a bombing range.
■ Do you have a theory behind the plane wreckage? Email any information or theory to news@pse.fairfax.com.au.