There were no fatalities after this Savannah Bingo crashed on a property at Brandy Creek.
MURRAY, Paz and Frank Swinbourne are still recovering in Townsville hospital after the plane Mr Swinbourne was flying crashed near his property at Brandy Creek last Thursday.
The licensed pilot and his family were taking off from their private airstrip at their property off Forestry Rd at about 12.55pm when the Savannah Bingo plane failed to get enough altitude and clipped trees, crashing into a clearing of bush on a nearby property owned by Vic and Roz McFarlane.
Mr Swinbourne's daughter Fraulein was not in the plane and spoke to the Whitsunday Times on Tuesday saying her family were still in hospital but hoped that they would be let out next week.
Mrs McFarlane said had the plane landed 50 meters further it would have landed on their workshop or boat.
"They couldn't have asked for a better spot to land with clear access for the emergency services to get to them," she said.
Neighbours Neil and Hayley Kennedy were looking out from their home when they saw the plane with its nose in the air trying to get more power to take off.
They were some of the first on the scene of the plane crash and contacted emergency service personnel.
"The plane sounded louder than usual and was closer than usual," Mr Kennedy said.
"He [the pilot] would fly regularly when the weather was suitable and was a very experienced pilot."
Whitsunday Police Station officer in charge senior sergeant Steve O'Connell said the plane was full of fuel and was thankful that it didn't catch fire.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority is doing a conjoint investigation into the cause of the accident with Whitsunday Police.
He died
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