What happened
On the evening of the accident, a private instrument flight rules (IFR) flight was traveling from Emerald to Gladstone, Queensland. The aircraft, registration ZGZ, was carrying a pilot in command and two passengers. During the flight, the pilot communicated with air traffic control to report climbing to 7,000 ft and later requested permission to climb to 9,000 ft. To avoid expected weather, the pilot also received clearance to deviate from the original track by up to 15 NM.
After passing through the weather, the pilot requested to descend back to 7,000 ft and track direct to Gladstone. By 1852, the pilot indicated they were switching to the Gladstone common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) as the aircraft descended through 5,500 ft, at which point radar services were terminated. Shortly after, air traffic controllers observed that the aircraft had disappeared from the radar display. Despite attempts by the controller and other local pilots to establish radio contact, the aircraft could not be reached.
A witness near Raglan reported hearing aircraft engines overhead that appeared to roar and shut off multiple times. This was followed by a visible flash and the sound of an explosion. The wreckage of the aircraft type was later found approximately 39 km west of Gladstone. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in three fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post-impact fire.