Fatal light aircraft crash south of Brisbane

Two people have died following a crash of a light aircraft here in Brisbane yesterday morning. The Beech A36 Bonanza crashed into a rural property at Stockleigh, in Logan, south of Brisbane, shortly after 11am, only minutes after departing Archerfield Airport (ACF/YBAF).

Emergency services were called to the property after the aircraft came down and a grass fire broke out at the crash site. Fire crews faced a rapidly spreading blaze, with the fire eventually covering an area of approximately three soccer fields. Sadly, police confirmed that both occupants of the aircraft died in the crash.

The victims were a 56-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, both understood to be residents of Ascot in Brisbane. 

Available flight-tracking information indicates the Bonanza was airborne for only around seven minutes. It reached an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet before beginning its descent towards the Stockleigh area. The aircraft was registered to Telford Aviation, a Brisbane-based charter and aircraft rental company.

Queensland Police have described the crash scene as confronting, while investigators begin the difficult task of establishing exactly what happened during those final minutes of the flight.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced an investigation into the accident and investigators are examining the aircraft wreckage and surrounding evidence. Police are also appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard the aircraft before the crash to come forward. Authorities are particularly interested in any dashcam, mobile-phone or other video footage that could help establish the aircraft's movements during its short flight.

The cause of the accident remains unknown and will be the subject of the ongoing investigation.

Aircraft Information:
Owner: Telford Aviation Pty Ltd

Aircraft: Beechcraft A36 Bonanza 

Registration: VH-MPT

Serial Number: E-1456

Engine: Teledyne-continental IO-550-BB

First Flew: January 1979

Age: 47 Years 

We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and keep them in our thoughts during this difficult time.

Amazon Prime Air crashes in Miami

                                     HAPPENING NOW

An Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767-300 freighter traveling from San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU/TJSJ) Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA) operated by 21 Air overran a runway while landing at Miami International Airport at approximately 2:00 pm local time. 

The aircraft left the runway, struck several vehicles and caught fire, producing a huge column of black smoke that was visible across the Miami area. More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units were sent to the scene.

Images from the scene show the 767 coming to rest off the runway with its nose down and tail elevated, with substantial fire damage around the right side of the aircraft. Despite the dramatic appearance, reports indicate that the main fuselage remained largely intact.

Aircraft Information:

Owner: Amazon Prime Air

Operator: 21 Air

Code: 21/CSB

Aircraft: Boeing 767-33A

Registration: N1997A

Serial Number: 27310

Engines: 2 x GE CF6-80C2B6F

First Flew: June 1994

Age: 32 years

The aircraft has had a big life operating with many companies in its 32-year history

24/06/1994  Sobelair as OO-SBY
28/11/2000 Vietnam Airlines as VN-A768
08/07/2003 Air Europa as EC-IQA
01/07/2006 Kenya Airways as 5Y-KQQ  
07/10/2010 Nordwind Airlines as VQ-BRA
30/09/2015 Atlas Air as N648GT 
13/01/2025 Atlas Air as N1997A 
14/01/2025 21 Air as N1997A 
15/01/2025 Amazon Prime Air Operated by 21 Air as N1997A

UPDATED 

11am Brisbane (01.00 UTC) 

I have since learnt that five people are dead and five others are injured after the Amazon cargo plane crashed just outside Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon. The plane overran Runway 30, struck multiple vehicles and came to rest at a field next to the airport.

Three people were in a critical condition and were taken to a trauma center, and two others were taken to a local hospital, a Miami-Dade Fire Chief said.

We’re keeping everyone affected in our thoughts and hoping for comfort and strength during this challenging time.

Dolly Parton to get an airport and flight number named in her honour

Tennessee is showing love for their late country music queen by renewing a proposal to rename their airport in her honour.

Nashville International Airport (BNA/KBNA) is moving closer to becoming Dolly Parton International Airport after Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the airport officially announced their intention to name BNA in honor of the late country music legend. The proposal has moved well beyond the fan campaign that initially pushed for the change. Lee and Nashville International Airport announced their support following Parton’s death on August 25, while an online petition calling for the tribute has now attracted more than 170,000 signatures.

The next important date is the 17th of September when the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority is expected to discuss the proposal — including an existing airport policy that could otherwise prevent an immediate renaming.

But that's not the only accolade Dolly will receive.

Starting on the 28th of March 2027, one of American Airlines’ daily flights from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW/KDFW) to Nashville (BNA/KBNA) changes its flight number from 1396 to 925. No announcement on the tarmac, no special livery, no themed cabin service. Just a number on a boarding pass that points at “9 to 5” and in the city where Dolly Parton built her career. The route is already bookable under the new number. It just will not fly as flight 925 for another seven months.

Those flights were planned while Dolly was still here, as a celebration of her music and the Tennessee legacy she spent her life building Now, that little number 925 carries a little more weight. Dolly made a

career out of finding the extraordinary in everyday life, and there is something wonderfully fitting about her "9 to continuing to travel with people, whether they are flying into Nashville or heading home from a day at Dollywood. It is a small tribute. but sometimes the small ones are the ones that stick with you.

Night spotting at Brisbane airport

While over half a million people flocked to Brisbane for the annual River Fire display (that story is coming), my family and I made our way to the airport for some nighttime photography and to watch the fireworks from the top level of the car park.

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBR (MSN 1251)
QF126 ARRIVING FROM AUCKLAND (AKL) 15 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VZL (MSN 34194) 

QANTASLINK EMBRAER E190AR VH-UYI (MSN 19000053)
QLK1888 OFF TO CAIRNS (CNS) 20 YEARS

QANTASLINK AIRBUS A321-271NX VH-OGG (MSN 12853)

QATAR AIRWAYS BOEING 777-3DZ A7-BED (MSN 60330)
QR898 ARRIVING FROM DOHA (DOH) 11 YEARS

QANTASLINK AIRBUS A220-300 VH-X4A (MSN 55253)
QLK1255 OFF TO MELBOURNE (MEL) 2 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VZW (MSN 39359)
QF134 ARRIVING FROM CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 14 YEARS 

JETSTAR AIRBUS A321-251NX VH-OYX (MSN 12611)
JQ906 OFF TO TOWNSVILLE (TSV) 10 MONTHS

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737 MAX 8 VH-8IA (MSN 65045)
VA333 ARRIVING FROM MELBOURNE (MEL) 3 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-NNC (MSN 8573)
NZ271 ARRIVING FROM WELLINGTON (WEL) 7 YEARS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHU (MSN 469)
SQ266 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 5 YEARS

HONG KONG AIR CARGO AIRBUS A330-243 B-LMA (MSN 1028)
RH703 ARRIVING FROM HONG KONG (HKG) 17 YEARS

EVA AIR BOEING 787-10 B-17806 (MSN 60289)
BR315 ARRIVING FROM TAIPEI (TPE) 6 YEARS

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBR (MSN 1251)
QF15 OFF TO LOS ANGELES (LAX) 15 YEARS

CHINA AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 B-18907 (MSN 105)
CI54 ARRIVING FROM AUCKLAND (AKL) 9 YEARS

EMIRATES AIRBUS A380-842 A6-EVE (MSN 250) 
EK435 OFF TO DUBAI (DXB) 8 YEARS

VIETJET AIRBUS A330-343 VN-A820 (MSN 1376)
VJ83 ARRIVING FROM HO CHI MIHN CITY (SGN) 13 YEARS

Sydney air traffic controllers concerned about collision risk after airspace redesign

Air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport have raised serious concerns with federal safety regulators over recent changes to airspace rules introduced last month, comparing the situation to the lead-up to a Washington DC crash that claimed 67 lives.

The federal government was informed on Thursday about a confidential complaint reviewed by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), in which veteran air traffic controllers cautioned back in June that changes tied to the new Western Sydney International Airport were rushed, with “inadequate training for controllers of all experience levels.” The complainant told the regulator a large group of controllers in Sydney "hold grave concerns about the project", referring to the air traffic redesign to accommodate the new airport.

In response to the complaint, the Sydney Terminal Control Unit stated that the person “may or may not be fully aware of all the procedural or safety measures implemented so far.” They explained that all new training manuals and procedures related to the changes had been thoroughly developed and approved, with additional staff supervision and monitoring in place, as well as planned restrictions on new air traffic controllers working within the system.

The federal regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), told the ATSB it was satisfied that Airservices Australia had implemented proper training procedures and operational support arrangements, and assured sufficient oversight to maintain safety.

More from New Farm Park

Today my family and I headed back into the city to watch the F/A-18 Hornets rehearsing for River Fire on Saturday night. Before that, we strolled along the waterfront at New Farm Park, where I managed to capture a few photos of commercial flights and a few city ferries. The aircraft were departing when we first arrived, but a wind shift prompted a runway change, and soon the aircraft were arriving instead.

MALAYSIA AIRLINES AIRBUS A330-941 9M-MNN (MSN 2106)
MH134 OFF TO KUALA LUMPUR (KUL) 1 YEAR

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-8FE VH-YIO (MSN 38714)
VA775 OFF TO CAIRNS (CNS) 14 YEARS

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-8FE VH-YFU (MSN 41029)
VA604 ARRIVING FROM MACKAY (MKY) 10 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VYE (MSN 33993)
QF608 ARRIVING FROM MELBOURNE (MEL) 21 YEARS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHM (MSN 379)
SQ255 ARRIVING FROM SINGAPORE (SIN) 6 YEARS

JETSTAR BOEING 787-8 VH-VKD (MSN 36229)
JQ66 ARRIVING FROM BANGKOK (BKK) 12 YEARS

FIJI AIRWAYS BOEING 737-808 DQ-FJN (MSN 34969)
FJ921 ARRIVING FROM NADI (NAN) 19 YEARS

QANTASLINK DASH 8 400 VH-84P (MSN 4488)
QLK363D ARRIVING FROM ROCKHAMPTON (ROK) 11 YEARS

CATHAY PACIFIC AIRBUS A350-941 B-LRR (MSN 119)
CX165 ARRIVING FROM HONG KONG (HKG) 9 YEARS

CHINA AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 B-18901 (MSN 049)
CI53 ARRIVING FROM TAIPEI (TPE) 9 YEARS

LIFEFLIGHT AUSTRALIA LEONARDO AW139 VH-LF6 (MSN 32129) 1 YEAR

LIFEFLIGHT AUSTRALIA LEONARDO AW139 VH-XIJ (MSN 41405) 11 YEARS

Toowoomba's Wellcamp Airport set to become home to Australia's first wide-body aircraft paint and refinishing facility.

US-based Landlocked Aviation Services is partnering with Wagner Corporation to establish a facility at Wellcamp Airport (WTB/YBWW) west of Brisbane. The Queensland Government is providing $12 million in support through its $180.6 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund.

What's particularly interesting for aviation enthusiasts like myself is the type of aircraft the facility is expected to handle. It is intended to service some of the world's largest commercial and defence aircraft, bringing a capability to Australia that has traditionally required aircraft to go overseas.

The facility will specialise in wide-body aircraft painting and refinishing. That means aircraft can potentially undergo:

• Complete exterior repainting
• Airline livery changes
• Defence aircraft refinishing
• Corrosion-control and protective coatings
• Aircraft appearance refurbishment
• Associated maintenance work

It is more than simply a paint shop. The Queensland Government and Wagner describe it as part of a broader effort to develop sovereign aviation and defence maintenance capability in Australia. The project is expected to attract around $52 million in investment and create more than 750 jobs across construction and operations. Once operational mid 2028, the facility is expected to support up to 100 skilled operational positions in Toowoomba.

That's potentially a major development for the Toowoomba region because it brings highly specialised aerospace work into regional Queensland rather than concentrating everything around Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne.

There are three big reasons I think this is particularly interesting from an aviation perspective:

1. Wellcamp could potentially see some very interesting aircraft movements. Large commercial aircraft and military/defence aircraft could be arriving specifically for painting and refinishing.
2. Australia has historically relied heavily on overseas facilities for some specialised aircraft work. Establishing this capability domestically reduces that reliance and strengthens the local aviation and defence supply chain.
3. For someone interested in aircraft like you are, this is probably the most exciting part. A facility capable of handling wide-body aircraft could potentially bring aircraft types and operators that wouldn't normally have any reason to visit Toowoomba. And Wellcamp has the runway and infrastructure to accommodate large aircraft — which is one of the reasons the location makes sense.

Landlocked Aviation Services is an American aviation company specialising in aircraft maintenance, modification and refinishing. The company itself describes the Toowoomba project as bringing Australia's first wide-body aircraft paint and refinishing facility to the country.