A FLIGHT HOME THAT ENDED IN TRAGEDY — PILOT REVEL DOWNING, 58, AND HIS 63-YEAR-OLD FRIEND DIE IN PLANE CRASH

Two experienced aviation enthusiasts travelled across Australia to bring home a newly purchased aircraft. Their journey ended just moments after takeoff, leaving families and fellow pilots mourning an unimaginable loss.

A journey that began with a shared passion for flying has ended in heartbreak after two men died when a light aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff near Scone, in New South Wales, Australia.

Revel Downing, 58, from Western Australia, and his 63-year-old friend, identified in local reports as William “Will” Simons, were aboard the two-seat Aeropup aircraft when it crashed on Friday, October 16, 2026.

The pair had reportedly travelled from Western Australia to purchase the aircraft and were attempting to fly it home for the first time.

A journey that never reached home

Emergency services were called to a paddock on Bunnan Road, near Scone Aerodrome, at approximately 1:55 p.m. Both men were found in the aircraft’s cockpit and suffered fatal injuries.

The plane was a kit-built Aeropup manufactured in 2012. It had recently been advertised for sale for around A$38,000.

For the two men, the trip represented an opportunity to bring a newly purchased aircraft back to Western Australia. Instead, the journey ended tragically only a short distance from the runway.

What happened after takeoff?

Flight-tracking information reported by Australian media indicated that the aircraft climbed to around 145 metres before rapidly losing speed and altitude. It crashed approximately 460 metres from the runway.

However, the precise sequence of events has not been established.

NSW Police Inspector Todd Hobson said investigators were considering several possibilities, including weather conditions, pilot error and mechanical problems. Authorities have not confirmed a cause.

An investigation is underway

Police established a crime scene and began examining the circumstances surrounding the crash. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was notified but said it would not investigate because the aircraft was operating under Australia’s recreational aviation system.

The investigation remains important for establishing what happened during the aircraft’s final moments. Until further findings are available, any explanation for the crash remains unconfirmed.

Remembering two men united by flying

Downing and his friend were experienced recreational aviation enthusiasts with connections to Western Australia’s aircraft-building and flying community.

Their deaths have brought sadness to the people who knew them and to the wider aviation community. Local representatives have also expressed condolences to the families and friends affected by the tragedy.

What should have been the beginning of a new chapter with a recently purchased aircraft became a journey neither man would finish.

As their loved ones grieve, many questions about the crash remain unanswered. For now, the focus is on supporting the families and allowing investigators to establish the facts.

Two friends set out to bring an aircraft home. They never made it back.