BUSINESSMAN, 56, AND HIS 23-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER KILLED IN PLANE CRASH MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF

A respected Australian businessman and his 23-year-old daughter have died after the small plane they were traveling in crashed into a rural property just minutes after takeoff.

Ian Campbell, 56, and his daughter Hannah, 23, were the only people aboard the aircraft when it went down near Stockleigh, south of Brisbane, Queensland, on Monday morning.

The tragedy has left a farming and business community mourning two members of a family known for agriculture, philanthropy and their love of flying.

THE FLIGHT LASTED ONLY MINUTES

The six-seat Beechcraft A36 Bonanza departed Archerfield Airport shortly before 11 a.m.

It had been airborne for only around seven to eight minutes when it crashed into open ground at Stockleigh.

The impact sparked a large grass fire, sending emergency crews rushing to the scene.

Eight fire crews were reportedly involved in bringing the blaze under control.

The aircraft came down close to residential properties, but authorities said no one on the ground was injured and no other buildings were damaged.

WITNESSES HEARD SOMETHING WRONG

Investigators are now examining what happened during the aircraft’s final moments.

Several witnesses reportedly described the plane as flying unusually low before the crash.

Others told investigators that the aircraft’s engine appeared to be running roughly or spluttering.

One witness described seeing the plane pass through trees before hearing a loud impact and seeing a large plume of smoke.

Those observations could prove important as investigators try to determine whether the aircraft experienced a mechanical problem before going down.

However, authorities have not yet confirmed the cause.

A FATHER AND DAUGHTER WHO SHARED A LOVE OF FLYING

Ian Campbell was well known in Queensland’s agricultural community.

A fourth-generation farmer, he co-founded Barambah Organics with his wife Jane in 2002 after converting part of the family’s farming operation toward organic production.

The family later established Mañana Pastoral, producing extra-virgin olive oil as well as grass-fed beef and lamb.

But Ian and Hannah were connected by more than their family and agricultural background.

They also shared a passion for aviation.

Reports say the pair had learned to fly at Archerfield in 1999, beginning a relationship with flying that continued for more than two decades.

For the Campbell family, the aircraft was not simply a means of transportation. Flying had been part of their lives for years.

A FAMILY KNOWN FOR GIVING BACK

Tributes have poured in from across regional Queensland.

Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg described the tragedy as devastating for a community that had known the Campbell family for generations.

The family was also deeply involved in supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service, a cause particularly meaningful to people living in regional Australia.

The Campbells had helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for the organization through their involvement in fundraising events.

The RFDS described Ian and Hannah as treasured supporters whose contribution to regional Queensland would not be forgotten.

INVESTIGATORS SEARCH FOR ANSWERS

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the crash.

Specialists have been examining the wreckage and recovering aircraft equipment, including avionics and GPS units, as investigators attempt to reconstruct what happened before impact.

Authorities are also appealing for members of the public who may have captured the aircraft on dashcams, CCTV or other video to come forward.

A preliminary report is expected in approximately eight weeks.

For now, the exact cause remains unknown.

What is known is that a routine flight from Archerfield ended within minutes — taking the lives of a father and daughter whose family had spent generations building businesses, supporting their community and, in Ian and Hannah’s case, sharing a love of the sky.

Ian Campbell was 56. Hannah was 23.

Two lives, one family — and a tragedy that has left an entire Queensland community grieving.