One of the people who were killed after an aircraft crashed at a country airport has been identified as a ‘beloved’ Melbourne mother.
Kate Callingham, 39, was killed alongside the pilot when the light plane crashed north-east of Victoria’s Mount Beauty airport at around 1.40pm on Saturday.
Her family issued a statement on Saturday night confirming the news and describing her as a ‘beloved partner, mother, daughter and friend’.
‘She was widely respected and beloved for her clear moral compass, adventurous spirit and formidable, level-headed, good sense,’ they said.
‘Kate was loved for her kindness, easy laughter and always being the most capable person in the room.’
The pilot is yet to be formally identified.
It is believed the pair were flying over Embankment Drive when the aircraft crashed.
‘Beloved’ Melbourne mum Kate Callingham, 39, was killed alongside the pilot when the light plane crashed north-east of Victoria’s Mount Beauty airport at around 1.40pm on Saturday
Two people have died after a light plane crash north-east of Victoria’s Mount Beauty airport
Eye-witness Tony said it appeared the light plane was trying to land before it veered into a paddock just before the tarmac.
‘I was at the end of the runway where the crash happened,’ he told the Herald Sun.
‘A light plane looks like it came up short of the runway. They were doing CPR on two people. It potentially flipped upside down on landing… the plane is wrecked.’
The incident was deemed under control at 2.13pm and safe at 3.34pm.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) received multiple calls about the incident and its crews were able to provide first aid until paramedics arrived on scene.
Police will prepare a report for the Coroner.
The crash occurred at about 1.40pm on Saturday
Previously Mount Beauty Airport saw the tragic death of Matthew Farrell, a pilot that crashed a light aircraft in dense bushland shortly after taking off in September 2022.
An inquest heard other pilots on the ground considered the weather poor at the time of the attempted take-off.
Farrell attained a pilot’s licence through an accelerated conversion course from his paragliding accreditation.
Concerns were raised about adequacy of this training at the inquest.
