Two pilots killed in a light plane crash in Queensland on Sunday have been identified.
Wayne Saunders, an experienced and well-respected pilot for Aero Logistics, was manning the controls of the twin turboprop Reims-Cessna F406 aircraft when it came down on a farm at Devon Park near Oakey, north-west of Toowoomba, about 3 pm yesterday.
Robert “Bob” Moloney, a former RAAF squadron leader turned Civil Aviation Safety Authority-approved flight examiner, was conducting a routine instrument proficiency check.
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The plane had taken off from Warwick and was en route to Archerfield, but circled twice above the tiny town of Brymaroo before diverting to Oakey and then suddenly dropped from 3000 feet to 1600 feet in 30 seconds.
It crashed metres from a house on a rural farm at Devon Park.
Police forensics and investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are now examining the wreckage to determine why.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said investigators would go in with an open mind.
“Something has obviously quite tragically gone wrong,” he said.
“Exactly what’s occurred here is still not entirely clear to us.
“We don’t come up with any theories until we’ve got all the evidence.
He said the France-built plane was about 35 years old and had been in Australia for 12 or 13 years.
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It was involved in an incident more than 10 years ago but this is believed to have been unrelated to the crash, he said.
“It’s a very tragic start to the week, and, you know, there’s two families here that no doubt are grieving and a much broader aviation community as well,” Mitchell said.
He said the plane had done “a number of flights” in the preceding days.
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In a statement, Aero Logistics told 9News the crash was a “terrible tragedy” and a “devastating loss for everyone who knew them”.
“Safety is our first and most important priority,” the statement reads.
“The cause of the accident will be thoroughly investigated for the sake of the families and the ongoing safety of our fleet.”
The ATSB will consider all possible factors, from weather conditions to mechanical faults.
A preliminary report is expected within two months.
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