THEY TRAVELLED ACROSS AUSTRALIA TO BUY THEIR DREAM PLANE — BUT NEVER MADE IT HOME

Western Australian pilot Revel Downing, 58, and his close friend William Simons, 63, were beginning the journey home in a newly purchased aircraft when it crashed shortly after take-off in New South Wales. Both men died at the scene, leaving their families and the aviation community devastated.

What should have been an exciting adventure for two aviation enthusiasts ended in unimaginable tragedy.

Revel Downing, 58, and his 63-year-old friend, William Simons, had travelled from Western Australia to collect a recently purchased light aircraft. The pair were preparing to fly it back home when their journey came to a sudden and devastating end near Scone, in New South Wales, on Friday, October 16, 2026.

The aircraft crashed into a paddock shortly after taking off from Scone Aerodrome, killing both men.

For their loved ones, the tragedy has transformed what began as a shared dream into a heartbreaking loss. Two men who set out together to bring home a new plane would never return.

A DREAM PURCHASE THAT ENDED IN TRAGEDY

The aircraft was reportedly a two-seat Aeropup, an Australian-designed, kit-built recreational plane that had recently been advertised for sale for approximately A$38,000.

The men travelled across the country to acquire the aircraft, intending to make the journey back to Western Australia by air.

It was a trip that reflected their shared passion for aviation and their enthusiasm for recreational flying.

But on Friday afternoon, shortly after the aircraft departed from Scone Aerodrome, something went wrong.

Emergency services were called to a paddock on Bunnan Road, near the aerodrome, at approximately 1:55 p.m. local time.

Police, paramedics and firefighters attended the scene. Both occupants were found inside the cockpit with fatal injuries.

Neither man survived.

 TWO EXPERIENCED AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS

Revel Downing, from Western Australia, was identified by Australian media as one of the men killed in the crash.

His friend, William Simons, 63, was also reported to have died alongside him.

Reports described both men as experienced recreational pilots with connections to Western Australia’s kit-plane community. They were understood to be members of the Sport Aircraft Builders Club of WA, which is based at Serpentine Airfield.

Their deaths have brought grief to people connected with the recreational aviation community, where building, maintaining and flying small aircraft can be a shared passion.

For their families, however, the loss is far more personal than the disappearance of two familiar faces from the flying community.

They have lost loved ones who left home for what should have been an exciting journey and never returned.

WHAT HAPPENED MOMENTS AFTER TAKE-OFF?

Investigators are working to establish what happened during the aircraft’s final moments.

Flight-tracking information cited in Australian media reports indicated that the plane climbed to approximately 145 metres before rapidly losing speed and altitude.

Some reports suggested that the aircraft may have entered a spin before crashing. However, the exact sequence of events has not been officially established, and this possibility should not be treated as a confirmed explanation.

NSW Police Inspector Todd Hobson said investigators were considering multiple possibilities, including weather conditions, pilot error and mechanical failure.

He emphasised that the investigation was still at an early stage and that it would be premature to identify a cause.

A crime scene was established as specialist officers examined the circumstances surrounding the crash.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

INVESTIGATORS FACE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FATAL FLIGHT

The aircraft was identified as a kit-built plane operating under Australia’s recreational aviation system.

Recreational Aviation Australia and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau were notified following the crash.

The ATSB indicated that the aircraft was registered for recreational aviation. According to reports, the bureau does not investigate accidents involving this category of recreational aircraft.

Investigators will need to establish the circumstances leading up to the crash before any conclusions can be reached.

At this stage, there is no confirmed evidence establishing whether the accident was caused by a mechanical problem, weather conditions, pilot error or another factor.

For the families, the unanswered questions come at a time when they are already trying to comprehend the sudden loss of two men who shared a love of flying.

A COMMUNITY LEFT IN SHOCK

The crash also sent shockwaves through the local community around Scone, a rural town in New South Wales’ Upper Hunter region.

Upper Hunter Mayor Pat Ryan expressed sympathy for the victims’ families and acknowledged the impact of the incident on emergency responders.

He said the community was struggling to come to terms with what had happened.

The loss has also been felt in Western Australia, where the men had connections to the recreational flying community.

Their journey had taken them a long way from home, but they never completed the trip they had set out to make.

A JOURNEY THAT NEVER REACHED ITS DESTINATION

Revel Downing and William Simons travelled across Australia to collect an aircraft they hoped to bring back to Western Australia.

They began their journey with the excitement of a new purchase and a shared passion for aviation.

Within minutes of taking off near Scone, that journey ended in tragedy.

As investigators continue examining the circumstances of the crash, their families are left facing the devastating reality that neither man will be coming home.

The cause remains unknown, and it may take time before the available evidence can provide answers.

Two friends set out on a journey connected to something they loved. They never made it home. Now, their families and fellow aviation enthusiasts are left mourning two lives lost far too soon.

The cause of the crash has not been officially determined. Details about the aircraft’s final moments remain subject to investigation.

Sources:

• ABC News Australia: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-16/plane-crashes-in-scone-nsw/107276198
• 7NEWS Australia: https://7news.com.au/news/wa-pilot-identified-as-revel-downing-after-dying-in-nsw-light-plane-crash-c-23035097
• PerthNow: https://www.perthnow.com.au/wa/scone-plane-crash-victim-identified-as-perth-man-revel-downing-and-his-close-friend-will-c-23039198
• Newcastle Weekly: https://newcastleweekly.com.au/flight-home-ends-in-tragedy-near-scone-aerodrome/