Tributes roll in for Townsville pilot Rob MacKenzie killed in light plane crash near Giru
The tight-knit NQ aviation community has been left reeling after a Townsville pilot was tragically killed after his light plane crashed in bushland near Giru.
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The tight-knit NQ aviation community has been left reeling after a Townsville pilot was tragically killed after his light plane crashed in bushland near Giru.
Rob MacKenzie, 67, died after his Jabiru light-sport aircraft crashed near Shirbourne, south of Giru, on Sunday.
Police launched a search for Mr MacKenzie after his aircraft didn’t arrive in Ayr as expected that morning.
The aircraft was located during an aerial search in rugged bushland in the vicinity of Bahr Rd.
Mr MacKenzie, who was the pilot and sole occupant, was sadly located deceased at the scene.
Burdekin (Ayr) Aero Club secretary Brian Richardson said the region’s tight-knit community of recreational flyers was shaken by the tragic incident.
“It comes as a shock to all of us,” he said.
“The whole recreational flying community around here, we’re really safety focused.”
He said the club had been holding a breakfast at the Ayr airstrip on Sunday morning.
“I don’t know if Rob was going to that, but he’s got some friends around here he comes to see,” he said.
It is understood Mr MacKenzie operated a private airfield in Woodstock.
Woodstock’s Donnington Airpark operations manager Christian Smith said they were “shocked and saddened” to hear of his tragic crash.
“There was a cordial working relationship between his airfield and ours and his loss to the local aviation community will be keenly felt,” he said.
“We offer the deepest of sympathies to his wife and wider family.”
The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the circumstances of the crash, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
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Originally published as Tributes roll in for Townsville pilot Rob MacKenzie killed in light plane crash near Giru
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