At approximately 1745 hrs on 26 September 2002, a single-engine Piper Cherokee Six aircraft, with 6 people on board crashed and caught fire shortly after take-off from Hamilton Island. All occupants were fatally injured.
A team of Transport Safety Investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is expected to arrive at the scene of the accident sometime during the afternoon today to commence an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.
The investigator-in-charge (IIC) of this accident is expected to give a media briefing from the accident site at 1500 hrs today. However, please contact the ATSB on 1800 020 616 for confirmation of the briefing time.
The ATSB investigators will be examining the wreckage and aircraft documentation and would like to talk to any witnesses to this accident. Witnesses are asked to contact the ATSB on 1800 020 616.
In accordance with its policies and procedures, the ATSB is expected to issue a preliminary report concerning this accident in approximately 30 days.