A farmer tried to warn his friends to abort landing their plane on his North-East property moments before a fatal crash.
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The tragedy at Tomahawk in January claimed the life of Sheffield woman Sandra Southwell.
The 63-year-old was in the Cessna 182 with her 68-year-old partner Barry Bransden, who was flying the plane.
Mr Bransden suffered serious head injuries, but survived the crash.
Ms Southwell died while being airlifted to hospital.
The couple were on their way from Sheffield to visit their friends’ Boobyalla property when the incident unfolded.
A report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Friday revealed the plane was flying into the farm when the property owner drove onto his runway, with his headlights on and hazard lights flashing, trying to stop the pilot from landing.
“One of the witnesses was concerned that the pilot was attempting to land the aircraft towards the west, with a tailwind estimated to be about 15 [knots],” the report said.
But the pilot thought the farmer was telling him where to land and continued to fly towards the runway.
Shortly after, the plane touched down before “bouncing several times along the airstrip” and continuing beyond the runway, hitting a tree.
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“Examination of the accident site and aircraft wreckage indicated that the aircraft’s right wing struck the branch of a tree 5.6 [metres] above and about 36 [metres] beyond the end of the runway,” investigators revealed.
“Fuel leaked from aircraft’s ruptured wing fuel tanks, but there was no fire. Examination of the aircraft did not identify any pre-existing faults.”
Both Ms Southwell and Mr Bransden held their private pilot’s licence.
Tributes poured in for Ms Southwell after news of her death spread across the region.
Hundreds surrounded Mr Bransden last month when he farewelled his “soulmate Sandy” during a funeral service for the “passionate pilot”.
The investigation into the crash is continuing with ATSB to further examine electronic data, aircraft and site survey data, the forecast and actual weather conditions, the pilot’s qualifications, experience survivability.
