The wreckage from a helicopter that went missing with a man and his dog on board has been found in waters off the NSW coastline.
A 54-year-old man left Cessnock on Thursday morning bound for Wallis Island, near Forster, on the state's mid-north coast.
An extensive land and sea search was launched after he failed to arrive.
The Robinson R66 single-engine turbine helicopter was located on Saturday afternoon in waters off Yacaaba Headland Nest, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said.
An investigation to examine recovered components, flight tracking data, CCTV footage, pilot and aircraft maintenance records, as well as weather information, is under way.
Investigators will also attempt to download and analyse the helicopter's cockpit video camera, the safety bureau said.
A preliminary report will be released in the next eight weeks, with a final report to be published once the investigation concludes.
