Mystery deepens over fatal Oakey crash as report reveals engines were working
Investigators have found ‘no mechanical anomalies’ in the engine of the aircraft that two experienced pilots were flying in the moments before tragedy struck.
A preliminary report into a sudden plane crash that killed two men at Oakey has found there were no mechanical anomalies with the aircraft’s engine in the moments before tragedy struck.
Respected flight trainer Robert “Bob” Molony was conducting an instrument proficiency check with Wayne Saunders when their plane, a Reims Aviation F406 Caravan II, crashed into a paddock north of the Oakey Army Aviation Base on July 20, 2025.
The procedure simulated a landing with limited visibility, with one engine inoperable, requiring the pilot to make adjustments using the aircraft’s instruments alone.
At the time of the crash, Mr Molony had logged more than 20,000 flight hours, while Mr Saunders had 5770 hours.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been investigating the matter.
It released a preliminary report on Wednesday that outlined the moments leading up to the crash.
The report found that Mr Saunders was making his approach to the Oakey Airstrip as planned when there was a slight horizontal deviation at 2.57pm.
The aircraft gradually descended to an altitude of 2500ft before dropping below the glideslope at 2.58pm.
This was corrected before the aircraft again dipped below the glideslope 30 seconds later.
It was flying at an altitude of 1700ft, or 300-400ft above ground level, when the aircraft ground speed started to decay, reducing to 85 knots at 2.59pm.
At about this time, a two-second radio broadcast was made from the aircraft, with an alarm sounding in the background.
The ATSB investigators spoke with a witness who had been driving alongside the plane for about 3km.
They observed the aircraft do a flat turn and yaw to the left and pass over the road ahead of them before it rolled to the left, pitched down and crashed into the ground.
The aircraft slid forward about 6m and burst into flames.
CCTV cameras located on a nearby property and at Oakey airport captured the aircraft’s sharp descent.
Mr Saunders and Mr Molony were fatally injured and died at the scene.
The ATSB report found the aircraft had been maintained in line with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s guidelines.
In examining the wreckage, the ATSB investigators found that the fire destroyed the aircraft’s forward section, limiting the extent to which they could identify pre-impact defects.
Investigators were able to examine the engines, which were found to be free of anomalies, and were powered when the crash occurred.
The ATSB investigation is ongoing and will continue to probe the pilots’ recent history, the aircraft propellers, maintenance records, pilot and crew training and medical records, operational procedures and documentation, flight and surveillance data, and the requirements of conducting simulated one-engine-inoperative exercises at low altitudes.
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Originally published as Mystery deepens over fatal Oakey crash as report reveals engines were working
