The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has released preliminary evidence from the September 7, 2026 crash of Beechcraft A36 Bonanza VH-MPT at Stockleigh, Queensland, which killed both occupants. The report, released on November 3, contains no analysis or findings on the cause.
The flight and starting attempts
The private flight departed Archerfield for St George at about 10:58 a.m. local time and crashed shortly after 11:05 a.m. CCTV showed several unsuccessful engine-start attempts before departure; an engineer reportedly assisted with a battery cart.
What investigators observed
Witnesses described an uneven engine sound. Propeller damage indicated low engine power at impact. These observations do not establish why power was low or determine the accident’s cause.
Fire limited the available wreckage. Investigators identified no pre-impact defects in the systems and structure they could inspect. That limited examination should not be read as excluding every possible defect.
What remains under investigation
The ATSB will examine flight performance, maintenance and pilot records, refuelling, recorded audio and other data, post-mortem information and training records. Its final report will provide analysis and findings.
Source: ATSB investigation AO-2026-095, preliminary report released November 3, 2026.
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