A man believed to be in his 50s has died after a gyrocopter crashed into an estuary at Cannons Creek, south-east of Melbourne, on Sunday afternoon.
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The man was understood to be the pilot.
The passenger, a man in his late 30s, has been flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with chest and back injuries.
The inlet where the aircraft crashed is called Rutherford Glen and is situated between the suburbs of Warneet and Cannons Creek.
Local residents went in to rescue the two men despite the threat of live powerlines that had been clipped in the accident.
Neighbour Julie Trower said she heard a loud noise before the gyrocopter crashed into the water.
"It sounded like a lot of glass breaking," Ms Trower said.
"I came straight down because I just live locally and saw the helicopter in the water and with one fellow out."
Ms Trower said a man who said he was an ex-policeman was one of the first on site, with residents from Warneet and Blind Blight joining the rescue efforts.
"We didn't see the second fellow (trapped in the aircraft). We just saw the first fellow asking 'Could I have some help?' she said.
"A couple of them got a canoe and went in from the other side and one fellow went from this side.
"They pushed a canoe out from the Warneet side and an ex-policeman took his boots and pants off and he went in from this side.
"They all met in the middle and got the fellow on the canoe and brought him to the road side of the inlet."
Victoria Police Detective Senior Sergeant Terry Rowlands described the actions of the residents who rushed to the rescue as "heroic".
Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said emergency services were notified of the crash just after midday.
Senior Sergeant Rowland said the flight appeared to be recreational, with the occupants heading for Tooradin.
"They took off from Tyabb Airport around 11am this morning," he said.
He said the investigation was still in its early stages, but the aircraft appeared to have hit a powerline.
Cannons Creek is about 60 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, on the way to Phillip Island.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
