Eerie Facebook post hours before fatal Leigh Creek plane crash

Hours before her plane fatally crashed, Rachel Whitford took to Facebook with a haunting post thanking her pilot for “another safe landing”.

Just hours before her plane crashed in a fatal accident, Rachel Whitford took to Facebook with an eerie post thanking her pilot for “another safe landing”.

The haunting post was discovered by the 48-year-old’s friend on her Facebook profile, where tributes have been flowing since news broke of the devastating plane crash that killed a Queensland pilot and Ms Whitford, who was a mother of five and retried police officer.

In the post, Ms Whitford says she was “grateful” for her pilot but complained of being air sick during the journey.

“Grateful for another safe landing — and my cautious pilot!” she wrote.

“And so gave [sic] to say I am so glad I have peppermint oil and copaiba oil on hand to rub on — it has helped me through a severe bout of travel [sic] when I could not keep anything down.”

The Facebook post by Rachel Whitford.

An investigation is continuing into the fatal crash in outback South Australia that killed the Queensland pilot and Ms Whitford.

Stud farm owner Peter Gesler, 59, and Ms Whitford from Brisbane died when the Brumby 610 aircraft crashed north of Leigh Creek on Saturday.

Whitford was a mother of five and retired police officer.

The pair had taken off from William Creek about 4pm, flown over to Lake Eyre and returned to William Creek to refuel, where Whitford made the post.

They then flew towards Leigh Creek where they crashed when approaching that town’s airport, SA police said.

In another sinister turn of events, Whitford’s husband told 7 News his wife had been travelling in a different plane but decided to swap into Gesler’s aircraft at the last minute.

Investigators from Recreational Aviation Australia were at the crash site, 560km north of Adelaide, on Monday.

Peter Gesler was flying the Brumby 610 aircraft when it crashed north of Leigh Creek.

SA police are also investigating with a report to be prepared for the coroner.

Variety Bash Queensland chief executive Steve Wakerley paid tribute to Ms Whitford on Facebook.

“Rachel was a good friend to many of us,” he said.

She dedicated her life to helping young people through her work with Variety, the Queensland Police-Citizens Youth Welfare Association and the Queensland Police Service, the post said.

“Our thoughts go out to her children, her family and friends, along with her PCYC and police colleagues,” Mr Wakerley said.

Tributes have been flowing for the pair on social media.

Mr Gesler of Donell Park Stud was a much respected member of the National Cutting Horse Association.

“Peter’s impact on the sports of campdraft and cutting has been enormous,” the association’s Facebook tribute says.

“With wife Debbie, the Donell Park Stud has produced some of the most legendary horses in both sports, a legacy that will live on for generations.”

Gesler was a well-respected member of the National Cutting Horse Association. Picture: Facebook

— with AAP