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National

Barbeques Galore director Peter Woodland dead in Snowy Mountains helicopter crash

Peter Woodland was a director of the popular barbecue retail chain. (Supplied)

The 75-year-old who died at the scene of a "horrific" helicopter crash in the Snowy Mountains was high-profile Sydney businessman Peter Richard Woodland.

Mr Woodland, from Terrey Hills in the northern suburbs of Sydney, was a director of Barbeques Galore and the managing director at Interfab, a sheet-metal manufacturer.

Police said they found the wreckage on Monday, 200 metres from the Snowy Mountains Highway at Kiandra Flats, about 500 kilometres south-west of Sydney.

The other person aboard the helicopter, a 64-year-old woman believed to be Mr Woodland's partner, also died at the scene.

Mr Woodland was reportedly in control of the aircraft.

Pieces of the wreckage could be seen from the highway as investigators scoured the landscape on Tuesday.

Tracking data shows the helicopter departed from Terrey Hills and stopped at Goulburn and Canberra.

It was then reported somewhere between Jindabyne and Khancoban in Kosciuszko National Park.

Monaro Police District Commander, Superintendent John Klepczarek, described the scene as "horrific".

Emergency services are investigating a fatal helicopter crash site at Kiandra Flats. (ABC Riverina: Shannon Corvo)

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said the privately owned Bell 206 LongRanger was travelling with a group of other helicopters.

"We have reports that the helicopter was down around that area on Sunday afternoon, but what's happened since we don't know," he said.

The ATSB is piecing together what happened in the final moments.

A team of specialists will travel to the region from Canberra and Melbourne to assist with investigations.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Editor's note 11/4/2022: Previous versions of this story named Peter Woodland as the founder of Barbeques Galore. He was a director.

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