A plane that went missing on Christmas Day over the Northern Territory has crashed in remote bushland, killing two people.

Police and investigators are working to access the crash scene after a single-engined light aircraft missing in Arnhem Land was located in dense bushland near Bulman.

Federal investigators said the Cessna 210N aircraft collided with terrain and left a debris field scattered over a large distance.

The plane with a pilot and one passenger on board was due to land in Tindal, southeast of Katherine, about midday on Sunday. 

Northern Territory Police said no further information would be available on Monday due to the crash’s remote location and the investigation being in its infancy.

The plane left Gove Airport in East Arnhem about 8.30am on Saturday bound for Katherine, 530km southwest, but failed to reach its destination.

Police, together with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Response Centre (AMSA), conducted a search which ended on Sunday afternoon when the plane wreckage was found.

AMSA said the wreckage with two dead was located about 250km northeast of Katherine using dedicated search and rescue aircraft from Cairns and Essendon and additional NT-based planes and helicopters.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau also joined in the crash investigation on Monday.

“A team of transport safety investigators from the ATSB’s Brisbane and Canberra offices are preparing to deploy to the accident site where they will commence the on-site phase of the investigation,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said.

“Given the remote location, the ATSB is liaising with Northern Territory Police to determine the best way for investigators to access the accident site over the coming days.”

The initial ATSB safety investigation will include an examination of the wreckage, assessment of aircraft and pilot records, weather forecasts and observation, and any available recorded data.

It will produce a preliminary report within the next six to eight weeks.