The plane landed safely just before midday near the Bridgewater-Maldon road, off the Calder Highway. Emergency services were earlier put on alert by air traffic control officers after it was reported the plane had disappeared off the radar.

An air traffic control spokesman said the pilot had reported trouble with the alternator before landing safely.

He said police and fire crews were then contacted to provide assistance on the ground. “The pilot radioed in the problem to air traffic control when he diagnosed an issue with the alternator on board,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the pilot was on a Visual Flight Rule and did not have a flight path listed.

Sergeant Don Frazer said Bridgewater police had confirmed the pilot landed safely.

“It may have just been a glitch on the radar that reported it missing,” he said.

“He landed it safely. It was all checked out as a bit of a precaution.”

Sergeant Frazer said there were no injuries reported.