Fatal Oakey plane crash: ATSB probe could take six weeks to complete

ATSB investigators have a difficult task ahead as they piece together the wreckage of a twin-engine Cessna that fell out the sky and exploded when it hit the ground, killing all on-board.

A pilot and an external flight examiner were killed in what has been described as a ‘terrible tragedy’ when a light plane crashed into a field and burst into flames near Oakey.

The aircraft belonged to Aero Logistics, with chief executive Ben Smee saying on Monday that one of their pilots and an external flight examiner had died.

“This is a terrible tragedy for the two people on-board the aircraft and their families, friends and workmates,” he said.

He said the two were experienced pilots and well-respected by the team.

“This is a devastating loss for everyone who knew them,” he said.

“We have offered our support and assistance to their families as they come to terms with the situation. We have also made counselling services available for our staff.”

The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau has revealed it could take up to six weeks before flight crash investigators understand why a twin-engine Cessna Caravan fell out of the sky at Oakey.

The 35-year-old, French made twin turboprop Reims Cessna F406 took off from Warwick Airport earlier in the day, and crashed on a farm on the northern side of the Oakey Army Aviation Base about 2.30pm on Sunday.

It is understood the Aero Logistics pilot had only fleeting contact over their radio before the plane crashed and exploded in a cattle paddock.

Emergency services rushed to the scene but there was nothing they could do to save the pilot or the passenger who both perished in the flames.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell at the site of a fatal plane crash that killed a pilot and a flight assessor at Oakey on July 20, 2025.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the investigation into what caused the crash had only just started.

“At the time the crew was conducting an instrument proficiency check, which is a check instrument rated pilots need to go through every 12 months,” he said.

ATSB understands the crew were conducting instrument landing approaches into Oakey Army Aviation Base.

It had conducted several flights over the weekend, including on the morning before the flight.

“Something has quite tragically gone wrong, so our job is to piece together the sequence of events that led into what has occurred into yesterday and the environment that may have influenced that,” Mr Mitchell said.

Aided by Queensland Police Service officers, the ATSB investigators will source CCTV, witness statements and radar data, along with salvaging whatever flight recording and aircraft material was left at the crash site.

Two people were killed in the light plane crash. Picture: 7News

Mr Mitchell said it was not uncommon for his investigators to probe crashes where the aircraft has suffered extensive fire damage.

“Because of the accident site itself and the damage then that is quite a painstaking exercise for us and that will take us a number of days,” he said.

“Equally we will need to spend some time on the site today and over the next few days to understand what the site can tell us.

“There is a lot of evidence that we will have to pull together to piece together that sequence of events.”

The aircraft was the subject of an ATSB investigation in 2014 when its pilot suffered hypoxia, an oxygen deficiency.

Mr Mitchell confirmed that the 2014 investigation concluded there was an issue with the plane’s oxygen system when it was above 10,000 feet, which was later rectified.

He said Sunday’s crash was unlikely to be a repeat of those issues as the plane was flying at 6000 feet when it came into distress.

“We do know that the impact is quite contained, which suggests a fairly steep rate of descent into the ground,” Mr Mitchell said.

“For the family of the two people involved, this has been a tragic outcome.

“This is something that does affect the broader aviation industry, and it is a tight -knit community, so this will affect a lot of people.”

The scene remains under police guard and it is expected to be active for several days.

Toowoomba District duty officer Senior Sergeant Matt Forbes confirmed that the two occupants of the plane were killed in the crash, with initial reports indicating the plane burst into flames on impact.

“There was a very large fireball and Queensland Fire Department did attend and extinguished the fire,” Sergeant Forbes said.

Two people were killed in the light plane crash. Picture: 7News

“The male occupant of the dwelling, the property owner (where the plane crashed) was home at the time and heard a loud explosion and was able to contact (emergency services).”

Sergeant Forbes said the aircraft was a commercial plane and was conducting a routine flight at the time of the crash.

“A crime scene has been established and the Australian Transport and Safety Bureau will be conducting an investigation with police and other agencies,” he said.

Police said forensic testing was underway to identify the two men who died.

The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the circumstances of the incident and will assist the Australian Transport Safety Bureau with their investigations.

“The current plan is that the crime scene is going to be held for a number of days. There’s obviously a number of inquiries to roll out, including an air crash investigation.”

Sergeant Forbes said that no mayday was made before the plane crashed.

Oakey plane crash, 20 July, 2025.

The suspected crash site is near the Oakey Airport in a farmer’s paddocks, not far from a house surrounded by rolling hills.

“If anyone has seen, the plane or, seen an aircraft in the area, that appeared to be having any mechanical issues or struggling, please contact the police,” Sergeant Forbes said.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has confirmed that a transport safety investigation into the incident has begun with a team of transport safety investigators from its Brisbane and Canberra offices, specialising in aircraft operations and maintenance, are heading to Oakey to probe the cause of the crash.

A plane has crashed and caught fire on the Darling Downs near Oakey, west of Toowoomba on July 20, 2025. Photo: 7News.

“Investigators will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities, including site and wreckage examination, and recovery of any aircraft components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra,” the statement says.

“Investigators will also seek to interview involved parties, and collect relevant recorded information including flight tracking data, as well as pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information.

“The ATSB asks anyone with video footage of the aircraft at any phase of the flight, or in the immediate aftermath of the accident, to make contact via the witness form on our website: atsb.gov.au/witness at their earliest opportunity.”

Originally published as Fatal Oakey plane crash: ATSB probe could take six weeks to complete