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The pilot of an amateur-built aerobatic plane has been killed after his aircraft crashed into remote wetlands near Bribie Island on Wednesday.
The two-seat kit-built Acroduster Too had taken off from Caloundra in the Sunshine Coast when witnesses reported the aircraft “descended very quickly” shortly after 9:20am. It is currently not known what caused the crash.
Water Police, PolAir and the Queensland Ambulance Service responded to the incident, after being alerted by nearby pilots and witnesses from the ground that the aircraft had gone down.
Reports suggested it took emergency services around an hour to locate and reach the plane’s wreckage in the mudflats, west of Bribie Island and north of Brisbane.
A QFES spokesman said first responders were required to forge a path to the scene through the mangroves at the end of Red Road so that they could recover the wreck.
“Swiftwater Rescue are expecting they might have to cross the mud on foot,” he said
“QFES are expecting to need to dismantle the plane wreckage, so they will need to transport cutting equipment in.”
A paramedic was also winched to the crash site to assess the pilot’s injuries, which ultimately proved fatal at the scene.
According to a spokesperson from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), “The aircraft came to rest inverted in mangroves at Pumicestone Passage, around 40 kilometres north of Brisbane.
“The pilot sustained fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed.”
The ATSB has deployed a team of investigators to the accident site to begin a report into the incident.
“Once on site, investigators will map the accident site with a drone, and should access permit, look to examine the wreckage,” the spokesperson said.
“The ATSB will also analyse available recorded data and interview witnesses and other involved parties.”
A preliminary report into the incident is expected in the coming weeks, with a final report to be produced at the conclusion of the investigation.
The transport investigation agency urges anyone with information to reach out.
