4 Oct 2012

Cause of crash being checked

1:10 pm on 4 October 2012

A preliminary investigation into a plane crash north of Brisbane, Queensland, will be held before the bodies of six people on board can be recovered.

The group were killed when a vintage bi-plane crashed into the side of a hill in rugged terrain north of the Borumba dam in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast.

The plane disappeared on its way to Caboolture on Monday afternoon shortly after the pilot reported he was in trouble.

The ABC reports the red De Havilland Dragon DH-84 was built in 1934 and was returning from an air show at Monto.

The wreckage was found on Wednesday afternoon. The crash site was a few km from a disused airstrip.

Chief Superintendent Mike Keating said formally identification of the dead would take a few days.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority and police will lead the investigation.

The ABC reports the plane was rebuilt by pilot Des Porter, 68, from parts of another one that crashed 58 years ago.

Mr Porter survived a crash in the same plane that he used parts from to restore the De Havilland.

However, his father and brother died in that crash near Brisbane in 1954.