‘Distressing’: Grim new details emerge after two killed in light plane crash near Toowoomba, Queensland

The two victims of a deadly plane crash in southeastern Queensland have been identified as highly experienced and respected pilots. Wayne Saunders, a pilot with Newcastle-based Aero Logistics, was at the controls of the aircraft when it went down. He was accompanied by Robert ‘Bob’ Molony, a former RAAF squadron leader and former president of the United Services Club Queensland. The two men were killed after a light plane crashed into a paddock and became engulfed in flames in Queensland’s Toowoomba region. The aircraft crashed near Oakey Cooyar Rd at Devon Park, about two hours from Brisbane, shortly after 3pm on Sunday. Both men died at the scene. According to his united service club biography, Mr Molony flew in the second squadron in South Vietnam as a Canberra bomber navigator and the sixth squadron flying F4 Phantoms. In 1984 he left the RAAF and entered into the civilian aviation industry as a pilot–flight examiner in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said on Monday special investigators had been sent from Canberra to Oakey to investigate the crash. He said the plane, believed to be a Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II, was a “sizeable” twin turboprop aircraft that was manufactured about 35 years ago. It seated “about 12 people” and was likely undergoing annual testing, he said. “We understand at the time (of the crash) it was conducting an instrument proficiency check, which is a check that instrument-rated pilots need to go through every 12 months,” Mr Mitchell told reporters. “Now, something (has) obviously quite tragically gone wrong, and what our job now is (is) to try to piece together the sequence of events leading into … what’s occurred yesterday afternoon, then more broadly the environment that potentially may have influenced that. “All we know is that yesterday … emergency responders were confronted with what would have been a very distressing scene, and they have done a remarkable job in curtailing what was quite an intense fire there.” He said there was an previous incident involving the same aircraft in 2014, which affected the oxygen system on-board. However, Mr Mitchell believed it was unlikely to be related to this crash. “Until we can get all of that evidence, we’re really at this stage focusing on processing the site and looking at anything that may be relevant,” he said. Acting Senior Sergeant Matt Forbes earlier told reporters the aircraft created a “very large fireball” after crashing in the paddock. “The male occupant of the property owner was home at the time, heard a loud explosion, and was able to contact emergency services,” he told 9News. It has now been confirmed the aircraft belonged to Aero Logistics, with chief executive officer Ben Smee saying on Monday that one of their pilots and an external flight examiner had died in the crash. “This is a terrible tragedy for the two people on-board the aircraft and their families, friends and workmates,” he said in a statement. He said the two were experienced pilots and well-respected by the team. “This is a devastating loss for everyone who knew them,” he said. “We have offered our support and assistance to their families as they come to terms with the situation. We have also made counselling services available for our staff.” Mr Smee confirmed an investigation had been launched into the cause of the crash. The Queensland Police Service said the two male occupants of the light plane died at the scene and that Forensic Crash Unit were investigating the circumstances around the incident. ”The remains of two men, believed to have been on-board the aircraft at the time of the crash, have been located and forensic testing to identify them is underway,” police said. They will assist investigators from the ATSB, which confirmed on Sunday afternoon it would investigate the crash. The ATSB identified the aircraft as a twin turboprop Reims Cessna F406, with officers deployed from Brisbane and Canberra. The investigators, who specialise in aircraft operations and maintenance, will conduct a range of “evidence-gathering activities”, including site and wreckage examination. “Investigators will also seek to interview involved parties, and collect relevant recorded information including flight tracking data,” the ATSB said in a statement. “As well as pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information.” Anyone with footage of the aircraft at “any phase of the flight” or following the crash were urged to contact the ATSB. A report will also be prepared for the information of the coroner.