By Sophie Aubrey
Two young brothers and their teenage cousin were killed when an amateur-built light plane burst into flames after crashing into a Gippsland paddock in Victoria’s east on Saturday afternoon.
Pilot Luke Smith, 20, from Tongala in the Goulburn Valley, died at the scene in Tinamba West along with his 16-year-old brother Benny and a 15-year-old cousin, Dusty Daly, who lived in Tinamba West.
Luke Smith, 20, was the pilot of the light plane.
Parents Leonie and AJ (Alistair) Smith from Tongala and Amy and Mathew Daly from Tinamba West issued a statement on Sunday thanking the local community for its support and expressing their heartbreak at losing three beloved young men.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for our family, and we kindly request privacy as we navigate through our grief,” the families said.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this loss, and we ask for your understanding as we focus on supporting one another during this challenging period. We are grateful for the love and support from friends, family, and the community at large. Thank you for your respect and compassion.”
Benny Smith, 16, Luke’s brother was also killed in the crash.
The Dalys are a respected family from the Maffra area, with Amy and Mat known for their work running the Little Jem Foundation, a charity they started to support local families experiencing infant and pregnancy loss. This followed the death of their own baby girl, Jemma, who was born prematurely.
Dusty Daly, 15, was the cousin of Luke and Benny Smith.
The Smiths are much-loved family in Tongala and are closely connected to the Tongala Football Netball Club.
Investigators believe the plane was destroyed by fire after it crashed into a paddock near the Heyfield-Upper Maffra Road about 5.45pm.
According to flight data, the plane left Echuca in northern Victoria for Moorabbin in Melbourne’s south-east on Thursday morning, before flying east to Sale in Gippsland that afternoon.
The flight map of the Gippsland plane before crashing.Credit: Flight Radar
It then flew north from West Sale Airport on Saturday about 5.30pm and was in the air for 17 minutes, finishing with several loops before it crashed in Tinamba West.
On Sunday, locals gathered at the clubrooms to remember the two brothers along with support from Headspace counsellors.
“Please reach out to each other, please check in on mates,” the club’s Facebook page stated.
Edge Aviation owner Lorraine MacGillivray, who provides aviation services, met the young pilot and his passengers when they stopped for a consultation at her company’s hangar at West Sale Airport on Thursday.
Luke Smith was the young pilot who died in the Tinamba West plane crash.Credit: Facebook
MacGillivray said the 20-year-old man was a licensed pilot and flight instructor with about 600 hours of experience.
She said there were no obvious problems with the aircraft on Thursday. The pilot and his little brother were in the area visiting loved ones.
MacGillivray said she had spoken to the affected families, who were devastated.
“They were very beautiful human beings,” she said. “It’s an absolute tragedy. There are two families whose lives have been changed forever.”
Emergency responders at the scene of the crash.Credit: Nine News
Records show the aircraft, an amateur-built Morgan Cougar MK1, was first registered in November 2013 and was recently owned by a man in Queensland.
MacGillivray said an amateur-built plane was an aircraft built from plans or a factory-approved kit – as was the case in the Tinamba West crash – and such planes underwent rigorous checks before being signed off for use.
MacGillivray said she was horrified by the spate of recent light plane crashes, including a Redesdale crash that killed her friend in September.
She called for authorities to closely examine the sector to prevent ongoing “unnecessary loss of life”.
“I hope the authorities get to the bottom of what’s occurred because it’s happening too much lately … we need to look at the whole industry,” she said.
Several witnesses have reported hearing the plane make unusual sounds and circling overhead before the crash.
Maffra resident Debbie Bedggood said she was sitting at home with her brother when they noticed the plane fly east, then west. They suspected at the time that the pilot was having trouble with the engine.
“We just knew it didn’t sound like a normal engine flying over,” Bedggwood said.
“The engine was revving and making a weird noise. We said it didn’t sound right. As we watched it fly off, we said, ‘We hope it lands OK.’ Not long after that, we got the notification about the crash.”
Bedggwood said she felt emotional on Sunday morning.
“I didn’t get much sleep. I’ve just been thinking about these poor guys and their families, and the first responders. It just breaks your heart,” she said.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau issued a statement late on Saturday night confirming it had started an investigation.
An ambulance near the scene of the crash in Tinamba West on Saturday.Credit: Nine News
The bureau deployed a team of specialists from Canberra to examine the wreckage, recover any relevant aircraft parts and inspect flight tracking and maintenance records.
The bureau will publish a preliminary report in the next two months and police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or who has images of the plane has been urged to contact the bureau or police.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.