A light plane has made a dramatic emergency landing in Sydney's south-west, appearing to bank low over houses outside the airport and at one point narrowly avoiding the tops of trees.

Two people walked away unscathed after the emergency landing at Sydney's Bankstown Airport Sunday afternoon. 

Aerial footage appears to show the Cessna 210 just miss the roof of a building at the end of the runway.

The plane then skids across a taxiway before tipping onto its wing on the grass just before 2pm.

The male pilot and a female passenger can be seen leaving the plane on foot within seconds of the landing, as others raced across the taxiway to meet them.

In a radio call to the airport, the pilot can be heard yelling out "May day, may day" and "engine problem". 

"All runways will be available, track as required," a tower controller responds.

A spokesperson for New South Wales Ambulance said three units attended the scene but there were no injuries.

Two Fire and Rescue NSW trucks also attended to inspect for petrol spills but rendered the area safe.

A spokesperson for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said the forced landing was due to the aircraft losing power. 

"The ATSB is gathering further information, including a report from the pilot, before making a decision on whether to investigate," the spokesperson said in a statement.

NSW Police set up a crime scene and are investigating the cause of the crash.