What happened
On a scheduled maintenance ferry flight, a pilot was operating an aircraft under visual flight rules (VFR) between Tully and Ingham in Queensland. The mission, conducted under the private category without any passengers on board, involved traveling from the operator's base in Tully to Ingham and returning to complete necessary maintenance tasks. The initial leg of the journey from Tully to Ingham proceeded without any documented issues.
At 14:54 Eastern Standard Time, the pilot began the return leg from Ingham toward Tully. However, the flight never reached its destination. The disappearance of the aircraft and the pilot was not officially reported until the following day. Following the notification of Australian Search and Rescue (AusSAR), authorities reviewed radar data and analyzed witness accounts to identify the last known position of the unidentified aircraft.
On the morning of 18 August, search teams discovered the wreckage located in a state forest, approximately 24 km south of Tully. The impact occurred against mountainous terrain. The accident resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage site confirmed that the aircraft had struck mountainous terrain during the flight phase.