Gary Liehm: Tributes for Gold Coast pilot killed in Fernvale plane crash

Tributes are flowing for a Gold Coast pilot killed in a shock plane crash. The man, who flew Chris Hemsworth and Sea World’s famous chopper is being remembered as a “first-class bloke”.

Gary Liehm loved to be in the pilot’s seat.

For more than 40 years, the experienced Gold Coast pilot took to the sky in helicopters and planes, chauffeuring celebrities, tourists and media on sightseeing trips and into the depths of humanitarian crises.

Pilot Gary Liehm died in Monday’s plane crash.

The 63-year-old was again in his happy place on Monday morning, behind the controls of a Cessna light aircraft, when the plane crashed at Fernvale, near Ipswich west of Brisbane.

Mr Liehm, and his passengers – millionaire agribusiness leader Tom Strachan and his son Noah Strachan – died on impact.

Police and Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are investigating the cause of the crash.

Friends and colleagues are remembering Mr Liehm, of Helensvale, as a “first-class pilot” and “an even better bloke”.

Prominent business and tourism figure Terry Jackman, who was chairman of Sea World’s property trust in the 1990s, said he had fond memories of Mr Liehm during his time flying for the theme park.

“He was a first-class pilot and did a lot of work for Sea World back then,” he said.

“My memory of him was that he was a very efficient pilot.”

Marketing and tourism expert Peter Doggett, who spent 33 years at Sea World, recalled a man who had “a great sense of humour”.

Actor Chris Hemsworth and pilot Gary Liehm, from Helensvale, who died in a plane crash at Fernvale.

“He was just a really good guy, a very capable pilot who flew helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft,” he said.

“He was someone you always noticed because he was quite tall, but he had a great sense of humour and was just a terrific bloke. My heart goes out to his family.”

Mr Liehm later founded the Brisbane-based Executive Helicopters and was its CEO at the time of his death.

The company offers VIP and corporate transfers, aerial photography and weddings.

Among his most prominent clients was Byron Bay-based Hollywood superstar Chris Hemsworth and his family.

The Thor actor posed for happy snaps with his arm around Mr Liehm.

Emergency services at the scene of the crash. Picture: 7 News

Mr Liehm worked closely with Gold Coast media organisations for decades and flew missions with Queensland Fire and Emergency services, including during the devastating 2010-11 floods.

Media figures who knew him well took to social media to pay their respects.

London-based 7 News cameraman Jimmy Cannon said on Twitter that Mr Liehm was “an incredible pilot and even better bloke”.

“Gary flew myself and (reporter Michael Scanlan) around southwest Queensland throughout the 2010/11 floods, including getting us in to Toowoomba on the day of the tragic ‘inland tsunami’,” he wrote.

“A 24 hours etched in my memory forever. RIP mate.”

Tom Strachan of Packhorse Industries died in the crash.

Veteran Gold Coast 9 News cameraman Mark Hanrahan said he was “devastated” by Mr Liehm’s death.

“I spent many hours in the 1990s being flown with Gary as the pilot in Sea World helicopters,” he said.

“A true gentleman, excellent pilot who used to call me scoop. RIP Gary.”

The Cessna light aircraft was bound for Brisbane’s Archerfield Airport when it took off from Roma at 7.20am on Monday. It landed at Dalby shortly before 9am, according to flight tracker data.

It took off again at 9.15am before being impacted by bad weather, causing it to rapidly drop from 2000ft to 500ft, and crashing near Fernvale about 10am.

Police were notified of the crash when the plane was reported “overdue” about 2.30pm.

Noah Strachan died in the crash.

They are appealing for anyone who may have seen the plane in the Fernvale or Lowood area, or who heard a plane flying low, to come forward.

Rescue crews struggled to access the crash site, which was limited to four-wheel-drive vehicles, with paramedics taking hours to make their way through the rugged bushland.

The plane was found split in two, with wreckage strewn 50m apart in the bushland.

Medics were winched down to the crash site, but there were no survivors.

On Tuesday, Ipswich Police Inspector Mick Thiesfield said the cause of the crash was unclear.

He said that there had been no communication from the plane indicating it was in trouble before the crash.

“What appeared to be footage of aircraft was found in the vicinity of bush land and as a result of that police had to traverse through bush land to get to that location.

“There is wreckage across the hillside and it is going to take some time to work our way through the investigation of the scene.”

The scene remained guarded on Tuesday night, with tarps expected to be brought in to cover the wreckage ahead of forecast showers.

Inspector Thiesfield said that it was unclear what caused the accident.

“Our primary focus is obviously with respect to the safe removal of the persons that are on that aircraft and ensuring scene security so we can get an accurate picture of what’s happened,” he said, also confirming that the bodies are yet to be moved because the site is so remote.

The Disaster Victim Identification unit is assisting the State Coroner with their inquiries.

“This would be traumatic for anyone that has lost loved ones and that is why police and the State Coroner are trying to do everything they can to try to establish what happened and the safe retrieval of those bodies.”

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