"Kit Plane accident near Toowoomba... :-(

"The Toowoomba Chronicle - Search finds kit plane pilot dead - 14.09.2005

THE body of a pilot whose kit plane crashed at Whetstone, about 20km from Inglewood yesterday afternoon, has been found not far from the wreckage. A police media spokeswoman said the plane was flying from Toowoomba to Moree with one person on board when it was reported missing around 5.40pm. People driving along the Cunningham Highway shortly afterwards reported a light plane in a paddock.

Searchers found debris spanning about one kilometre.

An initial search of the wreckage failed to locate the pilot. His body was found a short distance from the wreckage. The pilot, who had not been formally identified, was known to be very experienced. Police were still at the scene of the crash last night and would investigate the crash and prepare a report for the coroner.

Because the single-engine craft was a kit plane the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will not become involved in the investigation."

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Always

a sad event when one of our fellow aviators 'goes in' and my sincerely condolences to the friendly and relatives. Notice though the unusual area of the accident site... Mid-air break-up?

Rodger

From everyone here at Ultralight Flying Australia Forums our sincerest condolances to the pilots family and friends.

Take comfort in the hope that the loss will not be in vain for the investigation to result in furthering safety for all.

"An aviator soul never dies for it lives within us all, watching over us as we travel through our skies, and to all it has touched in guiding them to greatness for all eternity."

Appears the aircraft was a Thorp T-18C...

Rodger

Taken from a post at another forum

Cathay Pilot killed in plane crash

Wednesday, 14 September 2005

THE pilot of a light plane killed when he crashed in Queensland on Tuesday was flying to visit his parents in Moree.

Christian Paul Beattie died after his homemade aircraft crashed in apaddock off the Cunningham Highway at Whestone near Inglewood, about20km west of

Brisbane.

The 36-year-old had been living overseas for a number of years and wasflying from Toowoomba to Moree to visit his parents after recentlyarriving back in Australia.

Mr Beattie was a commercial pilot for Cathay Pacific with years of flying experience.

Australian Search and Rescue reported the plane missing to police about5.40pm. About 15 minutes later the wreckage was found by passers-by.Debris was strewn for about a kilometre but there was no sign of thepilot.

Inglewood police Sergeant Brett McKinnon said the pilot's body was eventually found by police three hours later.

Police said it was not clear whether he had been flung from the aircraft or had jumped out in the moments before the crash.

"They first inspected the plane and failed to find any occupants as thewreckage was strewn over a kilometre at the crash site," SergeantMcKinnon said.

"A search was conducted and the body of a man was located about 8pm a short distance from the single engine plane."

A spokesman for Australian Transport Safety Bureau yesterday said theaircraft was a Thorpe T-18, which is popular among home-plane builders.

"The Thorpe is a 'two-place, side-by-side taildragger' which waspopular in the 1970s and does not require any special skills for thehome builder," the spokesman said.

"The term taildragger is aviation jargon for conventional landing gear."

The ATSB spokesman said the bureau would not be involved in theinvestigation into the crash and little was known about its cause.

Mr Beattie was the sole occupant of the aircraft when it crashed.

Christian's funeral details:

Now 1.00pm Tuesday 20th September

Moree NSW Australia