Family remembers pilot Rob Pavan with pride

THE family of Yandina pilot Rob Pavan, who died when his plane crashed near Woolooga on Saturday, say they will remember the popular aviator with pride.

REMOTE SITE: Specially trained police consider their next move, as investigation and recovery efforts continue into the fatal plane crash near Woolooga on Saturday which claimed the life of Yandina pilot Rob Pavan. Picture: Patrick Woods

THE family of Yandina pilot Rob Pavan, who died when his plane crashed near Woolooga on Saturday, say they will remember the popular aviator and aircraft builder with pride.

His father Tony, who regularly flew with his son, said this was how they had chosen to remember Mr Pavan.

"We don't have a heart full of sorrow; we're just so proud.

"That's the way we're going to think of him," Tony Pavan told local television viewers.

GOOD PILOT, GOOD MATE: Rob Pavan (left) as the cheerful and competent pilot his family and colleagues will remember.

Late yesterday, police reported that the engine from Rob Pavan's Jabiru aircraft had been found along with large portions of the plane.

"Our forensic crash investigators are working with Recreational Aviation Australia to have the relevant parts tested and examined, to identify if they can provide any evidence of what may have caused the crash," Gympie police patrol group Inspector Jon Lewis said yesterday.

"Investigation and recovery efforts are continuing," he said, explaining that it was hard to report on latest details of progress.

"Comms (communications) are a bit difficult up there," he said.

Insp Lewis paid tribute to the specially trained recovery police at work at the crash scene, an almost inaccessible 500m razorback ridge, on a private grazing property a short distance north-west of Woolooga.

"They are the best in the organisation," he said. "They are the ones who go to Bali and Christchurch (to help with disaster recovery efforts)."

The major police operation will continue today.

Originally published as Family remembers pilot Rob Pavan with pride