A commercial airline pilot in his 30s and his five-year-old son were killed when their kit plane clipped powerlines along the Clarence River at Lilydale, about 45km northwest of Grafton last Tuesday and plummeted to the ground, bursting into flames.
About 8.50 am on Tuesday, December 12, emergency services were called to Winegrove Road at Lilydale, following reports that a light aircraft had crashed into powerlines.
Officers from the Coffs Clarence Police District, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW units, and NSW SES units responded to the scene on the bank of the Clarence River.
When they arrived, emergency services discovered the Highlander Rotax 914UL aircraft had plummeted into the sandy riverbank with extreme force, before bursting into flames close to a popular free camp site on the Clarence River.
Coffs Clarence Police acting Inspector Aaron Van Schaik said the plane, reportedly described as a “homemade type plane” took off from the Gold Coast on Monday, December 11, and stopped overnight in an unknown location before taking off again on Tuesday morning.
“A recreational aircraft clipped a powerline, as a consequence of that then crashed onto the banks of the Clarence River,” he said.
“It’s apparent, or most likely, that it stayed overnight somewhere then took off again,” he said.
The victims of the crash have been identified as Gold Coast father Lane Kokshoorn, 38, and his son who was aged 5.
Mr Kokshoorn was an experienced Boeing 787 pilot who had flown for Japanese commercial airline All Nippon Airlines, an aviation enthusiast, and a member of Southport Flying Club who also enjoyed hang gliding.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau ATSB were consulted as part of the investigation, and police are continuing their investigations with Recreational Aviation Australia.
As a result of the crash, electricity supply was cut to more than 150 homes in the Lilydale area and has since been restored.
An off-duty nurse from Coffs Harbour, who was camping near the crash site said there was nothing she could have done to save Mr Kokshoorn and his son due to the intensity of the fire.
Kerry Monk told the ABC when she heard the crash she rushed to the scene and called emergency services.
“It was so intense, the flames and the black billowing smoke, it was very, very hot,” she said.
“While I was calling emergency services, I was sort of investigating at the same time what I was looking at and realised there was nothing I could do for anyone that was there.”
Anyone who saw the crash or has any information on where the plane travelled from, or where it was heading, is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 20 December 2023.
