THEY TRAVELLED ACROSS AUSTRALIA TO BUY A PLANE — MINUTES LATER, TWO LIVES WERE LOST

Revel Downing, 58, and his 63-year-old friend had set out on what should have been the beginning of a journey home. Instead, their first flight in a newly purchased aircraft ended in tragedy.

A devastating aviation incident in New South Wales has left two families grieving after a small, kit-built aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff near Scone Aerodrome.

Revel Downing, a recreational pilot from Western Australia, and his friend, known publicly as Will, were aboard the two-seat aircraft on Friday, October 16, 2026. Reports indicate the pair had travelled across the country to purchase the plane and were attempting to fly it back west.

But just minutes after leaving the ground, the aircraft came down in a paddock near Bunnan Road.

A JOURNEY THAT ENDED IN TRAGEDY

Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 1:55 p.m. Police found both occupants inside the aircraft, and both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

The aircraft, reportedly a 2012 Aeropup known as “Snoopy,” had been purchased for recreational flying. The two men were understood to have connections to Western Australia’s recreational aviation community.

For their loved ones, the journey was meant to mark an exciting new chapter. Instead, they are now facing the unimaginable loss of two people who shared a passion for flying.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE FINAL MINUTES?

Flight-tracking information reported by Australian media indicates that the aircraft took off at around 1:46 p.m. Its signal disappeared several minutes later.

The brief flight has raised questions about what happened between takeoff and the crash. However, the precise cause has not been established.

Police have said investigators are considering all possibilities, including weather conditions, a potential mechanical issue or other factors affecting the flight. No confirmed evidence has established that the aircraft had a warning sign before takeoff.

 THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

NSW Police established a crime scene and began examining the circumstances surrounding the crash. Recreational Aviation Australia and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau were notified, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

The ATSB has indicated that it will not conduct its own investigation because the aircraft was registered for recreational use. Police inquiries and the coronial process will help establish what can be determined about the final flight.

Until further findings are available, any explanation of why the aircraft came down remains unconfirmed.

 TWO LIVES, ONE DEVASTATING LOSS

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the local community and the recreational flying community in Western Australia.

For the families and friends of Revel Downing and his companion, the unanswered questions may make the loss even harder to process. What began as a cross-country trip to collect an aircraft has become a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly a journey can take an unexpected turn.

As investigators work to establish the circumstances, the two men are being remembered by those who knew them.