This was published 7 years ago
Father cut son free from central Queensland plane crash
By Amy Mitchell-Whittington
A father who watched an aircraft carrying his son crash in central Queensland on Tuesday has spoken of how he had to cut his son free from the wreck.
Jason Lonnon and his son Jesse, 13, were travelling in two separate aircrafts for a trip to Middle Island, organised through adventure company 1770 Castaway.
Mr Lonnon told 7 News he was travelling in the second aircraft when he saw the plane carrying his son start to turn down.
"We thought they were getting ready to land but they disappeared out of sight behind the sand dune and within a few seconds later we saw the plane wreck on the ground," he said.
Jason Lonnon with his son Jesse.Credit: Amy Mitchell-Whittington
"It is hard to describe how I felt at the time knowing my son was down in there in that mess."
1770 Castaway owner Bruce Rhoades, who had been piloting the second aircraft, reported the crash, landed and rushed over with Mr Lonnon and other tourists to pull pilot Les 'Woody' Woodall, two tourists and 13-year-old Jesse from the crash.
"They were all virtually unconscious with the exception of Woody," Mr Rhoades told the Gladstone Observer.
Mr Lonnon had to cut his son free from the wreckage.
The wreck of the plane after the fatal crash on the beach at Middle Head, near Agnes Water.Credit: LifeFlight
"I managed to get the door off the plane and we started pulling people onto the beach there was fuel leaking everywhere," he said.
"He was still trapped in his seat, I had to climb into the wreck and cut the seatbelt away."
Les Woodall was flown to Brisbane for surgery.Credit: Facebook
A 29-year-old British woman died on the scene while a 21-year-old Irish woman and Mr Woodall suffered critical injuries. Jesse suffered minor injuries.
Mr Rhoades said he performed CPR on the British tourist before heading back to Agnes Water to get help.
"The emergency services were coming out in the LARC and I landed alongside them and picked up medics and flew back to the crash scene," he said.
Mr Lonnon's son and the Irish woman were airlifted to Rockhampton Base Hospital, while Mr Woodall was airlifted to Bundaberg Base Hospital.
The young woman was airlifted to Brisbane on Tuesday overnight while Mr Woodall was airlifted to Brisbane on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Lonnon's son remains at Rockhampton Base Hospital in a stable condition.
"Someone must have been watching over us," Mr Lonnon said.
Detective Inspector Jane Healy said early investigations showed a mechanical fault was to blame for the crash.
"The aircraft as it came in to land has what we believe is engine failure and crashed into the beach," she told ABC radio.
Air crash investigators were expected to remain at the crash site over the coming days.