Latest news with #Deb
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Tributes for pilot killed in crash who was two months from retirement
A pilot who died when his plane crashed in the NSW Snowy Mountains last week was always "generous with his time and knowledge" and just two months away from retirement, friends say. Police found David Stephens' body in wreckage in the Snowy Mountains on Friday, July 18, after a multi-day search for a missing plane. The 74-year-old resident of Brogo, north of Bega on the NSW South Coast, went missing while flying from Wangaratta in northeast of Victoria to Moruya on the south coast. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant and was only two months away from retirement, and his family said they had been hoping to spend more time with him. On Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. The wreckage, and Mr Stephens' body, were found a few days later. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." Tony Rettke is a fellow aviator and president of Bega's rural flying club, the Frogs Hollow Flyers. He recounted getting the call from Mr Stephens' wife. "I got a message, and it was from David's wife. She said something like, 'Hi, this is Lynda Leigh. Could you call me back, please?' She sounded upset," Mr Rettke told ACM's Bega District News. "Lynda said, 'I'm just calling to let you know, as the president of the Frogs Hollow Flyers and a friend of David's, he's crashed his plane'." "I had been talking to David a day or two before. He needed to get a couple of emails out for me, and said he would do it at Wangaratta [the airport he left prior to the disappearance]." Mr Rettke sat in his car as thoughts crossed his mind of what may have happened to his friend. "It actually knocked me," he said. "I've been thinking a lot about it. About how David would have felt and what might have happened, and there could be 100 things. [It] could be the aircraft, could be a mistake he's made, could be ... many things." Mr Rettke said it was sobering to think about, as he, too, had flown on numerous occasions across the past month in varied weather conditions. Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". It was understood that Mr Stephens was a non-instrument-rated pilot, which meant he could only fly when he could see the ground and maintain visual contact with landmarks. "I do that [kind of flight] all the time. It's called 'tiger country' where you can't land without tearing the wings off. Some people go around it. It's the risk you take," Mr Rettke said. "I don't know if his plane was completely destroyed. I think it would have looked like newspaper shredded through the trees, because they are built light. "It's more dangerous to ride a motorbike from here to Canberra, without a doubt. People worry that I swim with sharks, but they're always there." About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter found the crashed plane near its last known GPS location. Just before 3pm the next day, NSW police found the body of a man in the wreckage. Mr Rettke remembered his friend as an honest man who served as secretary on the Frogs Hollow Flyers committee, where he was an active member. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," Mr Rettke said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, Mr Stephens had a long history of racing on dirt trails. As well as a Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. If he wasn't competing, he volunteered as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships. Mr Stephens was a very active member of the club and had previously been treasurer and secretary. In 2017, his wife Ms Leigh told Bega District News that Mr Stephens competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the '70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start," she had said. Current Bega Valley Rally director Ian Slater said he would remember his friend as being kind and generous with his time and knowledge. "He would do anything for you that you asked him," Mr Slater told ACM's Bega District News. "Sometimes he probably didn't agree with you, but we'd nut it out and we'd move on," he said with a chuckle. "He was good for the younger people coming into the sport. "He could mentor them in navigating, although he was a very good driver as well." Mr Slater was watching television when Mr Stephens' wife tried to call him, but unfortunately, he didn't hear his phone ring. "She then rang my wife and said, 'David's gone missing in his plane'. I rang her back and she told me the same thing," Mr Slater recalled. "It was a bit of a shock. I didn't really believe it, and since then we have stayed in contact to find out what's going on. "Having done a bit of flying myself, it's normally not a risky sport. Car rallying is probably more dangerous. "We're doing all right. We ring up Lynda all the time to keep in contact with her. It's pretty tough." A pilot who died when his plane crashed in the NSW Snowy Mountains last week was always "generous with his time and knowledge" and just two months away from retirement, friends say. Police found David Stephens' body in wreckage in the Snowy Mountains on Friday, July 18, after a multi-day search for a missing plane. The 74-year-old resident of Brogo, north of Bega on the NSW South Coast, went missing while flying from Wangaratta in northeast of Victoria to Moruya on the south coast. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant and was only two months away from retirement, and his family said they had been hoping to spend more time with him. On Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. The wreckage, and Mr Stephens' body, were found a few days later. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." Tony Rettke is a fellow aviator and president of Bega's rural flying club, the Frogs Hollow Flyers. He recounted getting the call from Mr Stephens' wife. "I got a message, and it was from David's wife. She said something like, 'Hi, this is Lynda Leigh. Could you call me back, please?' She sounded upset," Mr Rettke told ACM's Bega District News. "Lynda said, 'I'm just calling to let you know, as the president of the Frogs Hollow Flyers and a friend of David's, he's crashed his plane'." "I had been talking to David a day or two before. He needed to get a couple of emails out for me, and said he would do it at Wangaratta [the airport he left prior to the disappearance]." Mr Rettke sat in his car as thoughts crossed his mind of what may have happened to his friend. "It actually knocked me," he said. "I've been thinking a lot about it. About how David would have felt and what might have happened, and there could be 100 things. [It] could be the aircraft, could be a mistake he's made, could be ... many things." Mr Rettke said it was sobering to think about, as he, too, had flown on numerous occasions across the past month in varied weather conditions. Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". It was understood that Mr Stephens was a non-instrument-rated pilot, which meant he could only fly when he could see the ground and maintain visual contact with landmarks. "I do that [kind of flight] all the time. It's called 'tiger country' where you can't land without tearing the wings off. Some people go around it. It's the risk you take," Mr Rettke said. "I don't know if his plane was completely destroyed. I think it would have looked like newspaper shredded through the trees, because they are built light. "It's more dangerous to ride a motorbike from here to Canberra, without a doubt. People worry that I swim with sharks, but they're always there." About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter found the crashed plane near its last known GPS location. Just before 3pm the next day, NSW police found the body of a man in the wreckage. Mr Rettke remembered his friend as an honest man who served as secretary on the Frogs Hollow Flyers committee, where he was an active member. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," Mr Rettke said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, Mr Stephens had a long history of racing on dirt trails. As well as a Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. If he wasn't competing, he volunteered as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships. Mr Stephens was a very active member of the club and had previously been treasurer and secretary. In 2017, his wife Ms Leigh told Bega District News that Mr Stephens competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the '70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start," she had said. Current Bega Valley Rally director Ian Slater said he would remember his friend as being kind and generous with his time and knowledge. "He would do anything for you that you asked him," Mr Slater told ACM's Bega District News. "Sometimes he probably didn't agree with you, but we'd nut it out and we'd move on," he said with a chuckle. "He was good for the younger people coming into the sport. "He could mentor them in navigating, although he was a very good driver as well." Mr Slater was watching television when Mr Stephens' wife tried to call him, but unfortunately, he didn't hear his phone ring. "She then rang my wife and said, 'David's gone missing in his plane'. I rang her back and she told me the same thing," Mr Slater recalled. "It was a bit of a shock. I didn't really believe it, and since then we have stayed in contact to find out what's going on. "Having done a bit of flying myself, it's normally not a risky sport. Car rallying is probably more dangerous. "We're doing all right. We ring up Lynda all the time to keep in contact with her. It's pretty tough." A pilot who died when his plane crashed in the NSW Snowy Mountains last week was always "generous with his time and knowledge" and just two months away from retirement, friends say. Police found David Stephens' body in wreckage in the Snowy Mountains on Friday, July 18, after a multi-day search for a missing plane. The 74-year-old resident of Brogo, north of Bega on the NSW South Coast, went missing while flying from Wangaratta in northeast of Victoria to Moruya on the south coast. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant and was only two months away from retirement, and his family said they had been hoping to spend more time with him. On Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. The wreckage, and Mr Stephens' body, were found a few days later. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." Tony Rettke is a fellow aviator and president of Bega's rural flying club, the Frogs Hollow Flyers. He recounted getting the call from Mr Stephens' wife. "I got a message, and it was from David's wife. She said something like, 'Hi, this is Lynda Leigh. Could you call me back, please?' She sounded upset," Mr Rettke told ACM's Bega District News. "Lynda said, 'I'm just calling to let you know, as the president of the Frogs Hollow Flyers and a friend of David's, he's crashed his plane'." "I had been talking to David a day or two before. He needed to get a couple of emails out for me, and said he would do it at Wangaratta [the airport he left prior to the disappearance]." Mr Rettke sat in his car as thoughts crossed his mind of what may have happened to his friend. "It actually knocked me," he said. "I've been thinking a lot about it. About how David would have felt and what might have happened, and there could be 100 things. [It] could be the aircraft, could be a mistake he's made, could be ... many things." Mr Rettke said it was sobering to think about, as he, too, had flown on numerous occasions across the past month in varied weather conditions. Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". It was understood that Mr Stephens was a non-instrument-rated pilot, which meant he could only fly when he could see the ground and maintain visual contact with landmarks. "I do that [kind of flight] all the time. It's called 'tiger country' where you can't land without tearing the wings off. Some people go around it. It's the risk you take," Mr Rettke said. "I don't know if his plane was completely destroyed. I think it would have looked like newspaper shredded through the trees, because they are built light. "It's more dangerous to ride a motorbike from here to Canberra, without a doubt. People worry that I swim with sharks, but they're always there." About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter found the crashed plane near its last known GPS location. Just before 3pm the next day, NSW police found the body of a man in the wreckage. Mr Rettke remembered his friend as an honest man who served as secretary on the Frogs Hollow Flyers committee, where he was an active member. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," Mr Rettke said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, Mr Stephens had a long history of racing on dirt trails. As well as a Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. If he wasn't competing, he volunteered as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships. Mr Stephens was a very active member of the club and had previously been treasurer and secretary. In 2017, his wife Ms Leigh told Bega District News that Mr Stephens competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the '70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start," she had said. Current Bega Valley Rally director Ian Slater said he would remember his friend as being kind and generous with his time and knowledge. "He would do anything for you that you asked him," Mr Slater told ACM's Bega District News. "Sometimes he probably didn't agree with you, but we'd nut it out and we'd move on," he said with a chuckle. "He was good for the younger people coming into the sport. "He could mentor them in navigating, although he was a very good driver as well." Mr Slater was watching television when Mr Stephens' wife tried to call him, but unfortunately, he didn't hear his phone ring. "She then rang my wife and said, 'David's gone missing in his plane'. I rang her back and she told me the same thing," Mr Slater recalled. "It was a bit of a shock. I didn't really believe it, and since then we have stayed in contact to find out what's going on. "Having done a bit of flying myself, it's normally not a risky sport. Car rallying is probably more dangerous. "We're doing all right. We ring up Lynda all the time to keep in contact with her. It's pretty tough." A pilot who died when his plane crashed in the NSW Snowy Mountains last week was always "generous with his time and knowledge" and just two months away from retirement, friends say. Police found David Stephens' body in wreckage in the Snowy Mountains on Friday, July 18, after a multi-day search for a missing plane. The 74-year-old resident of Brogo, north of Bega on the NSW South Coast, went missing while flying from Wangaratta in northeast of Victoria to Moruya on the south coast. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant and was only two months away from retirement, and his family said they had been hoping to spend more time with him. On Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. The wreckage, and Mr Stephens' body, were found a few days later. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." Tony Rettke is a fellow aviator and president of Bega's rural flying club, the Frogs Hollow Flyers. He recounted getting the call from Mr Stephens' wife. "I got a message, and it was from David's wife. She said something like, 'Hi, this is Lynda Leigh. Could you call me back, please?' She sounded upset," Mr Rettke told ACM's Bega District News. "Lynda said, 'I'm just calling to let you know, as the president of the Frogs Hollow Flyers and a friend of David's, he's crashed his plane'." "I had been talking to David a day or two before. He needed to get a couple of emails out for me, and said he would do it at Wangaratta [the airport he left prior to the disappearance]." Mr Rettke sat in his car as thoughts crossed his mind of what may have happened to his friend. "It actually knocked me," he said. "I've been thinking a lot about it. About how David would have felt and what might have happened, and there could be 100 things. [It] could be the aircraft, could be a mistake he's made, could be ... many things." Mr Rettke said it was sobering to think about, as he, too, had flown on numerous occasions across the past month in varied weather conditions. Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". It was understood that Mr Stephens was a non-instrument-rated pilot, which meant he could only fly when he could see the ground and maintain visual contact with landmarks. "I do that [kind of flight] all the time. It's called 'tiger country' where you can't land without tearing the wings off. Some people go around it. It's the risk you take," Mr Rettke said. "I don't know if his plane was completely destroyed. I think it would have looked like newspaper shredded through the trees, because they are built light. "It's more dangerous to ride a motorbike from here to Canberra, without a doubt. People worry that I swim with sharks, but they're always there." About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter found the crashed plane near its last known GPS location. Just before 3pm the next day, NSW police found the body of a man in the wreckage. Mr Rettke remembered his friend as an honest man who served as secretary on the Frogs Hollow Flyers committee, where he was an active member. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," Mr Rettke said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, Mr Stephens had a long history of racing on dirt trails. As well as a Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. If he wasn't competing, he volunteered as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships. Mr Stephens was a very active member of the club and had previously been treasurer and secretary. In 2017, his wife Ms Leigh told Bega District News that Mr Stephens competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the '70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start," she had said. Current Bega Valley Rally director Ian Slater said he would remember his friend as being kind and generous with his time and knowledge. "He would do anything for you that you asked him," Mr Slater told ACM's Bega District News. "Sometimes he probably didn't agree with you, but we'd nut it out and we'd move on," he said with a chuckle. "He was good for the younger people coming into the sport. "He could mentor them in navigating, although he was a very good driver as well." Mr Slater was watching television when Mr Stephens' wife tried to call him, but unfortunately, he didn't hear his phone ring. "She then rang my wife and said, 'David's gone missing in his plane'. I rang her back and she told me the same thing," Mr Slater recalled. "It was a bit of a shock. I didn't really believe it, and since then we have stayed in contact to find out what's going on. "Having done a bit of flying myself, it's normally not a risky sport. Car rallying is probably more dangerous. "We're doing all right. We ring up Lynda all the time to keep in contact with her. It's pretty tough."
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- The Advertiser
'It wouldn't be survivable': pilot presumed dead in Snowy Mountains crash
While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!" While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!" While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!" While police haven't yet formally identified the body of the pilot who went missing on a flight over the Snowy Mountains, police sources said the crash was 'unsurvivable'. In a recent press conference, Riverina Police District Commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet said the force of the impact of the aircraft was significant. "You wouldn't recognise it as an aeroplane," he said. "There was obviously a fair bit of speed into the mountain range, which has completely destroyed that aircraft, and it wouldn't be a survivable collision." A recovery operation was underway, with crime scene investigators winched onto the site. "We've got investigators, as well as crime scene, attending that site, to clarify the cause of the collision and also see if we can identify the pilot," Mr Spliet said. Conditions on the mountain have continued to frustrate the search and recovery operation. "It was very difficult to get to," he said. "There was a lot of very steep, overgrown terrain, so it was difficult to locate initially, but when weather conditions cleared, we were able to get those air assets over the coordinates." The pilot, widely believed to be Brogo resident David Stephens, was flying his beloved plane when he went missing on Tuesday afternoon. In the days before his disappearance, Mr Stephens flew from Moruya Airport to Frogs Hollow on the Far South Coast, and then from the Bega Valley-based airstrip to Wangaratta, a city northeast of Victoria. But on Tuesday, July 15, at 4.35pm, NSW Police said emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash near Dargals Trail in the Snowy Valleys. His partner, Lynda Leigh, said in a statement on Thursday to Bega District News that the mountain weather could turn very quickly. "We have to assume he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta," she said. "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing. "We'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." Ms Leigh thanked the outpouring of hope and support from the community and the emergency services who searched for David in heavy fog, snow, heavy vegetation and horrendous terrain. President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers, Tony Rettke, said Mr Stephens was an honest man and that he had drafted him as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member, and I could tell he had a lot to contribute to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. "He did his job well and had only been doing it for about six months, and had a major role in a recent fly-in with 25 aircraft coming to camp." Besides being the immensely proud pilot of "Deb", his 1966 Debonair, David Stephens had a long history of drifting on dirt trails. His partner said Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s. As well as Frogs Hollow Flyer, Mr Stephens was a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs across the Far South Coast. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and, in turn, the Australian Rally Championships," Ms Leigh said. In 2017, Ms Leigh told Bega District News that David competed on the famous Upper Cobargo and Buckajo Roads since the 70s and often hoped she would get a chance to drive the Bega Rally herself. "I really enjoyed watching the Rally of Canberra since I moved there from Sydney in the 90s, but never did I think for a moment I'd compete or own my own rally car," she said. "David takes his rallying seriously and I was honoured to be asked to be his co-driver - in my first year in the 'silly seat', we won the 2015 NSW Pace note series, which wasn't a bad start!"
The Advertiser
17-07-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Plane wreckage of missing flight discovered
A plane that was reported missing over the Snowy Mountains on a flight from Victoria to the NSW South Coast has been located. The aircraft was being flown by 74-year-old David Stephens, a resident of Brogo in the Bega Valley. He went missing on Tuesday afternoon between Wangaratta and Moruya. Mr Stephens' wife, Lynda, spoke out earlier on Thursday about her husband's lifelong love of flying. "Unfortunately, David disappeared on his flight home on Tuesday, July 15, after having his aircraft inspected," she said in a statement to The Bay Post. Lynda said the mountain weather could turn very quickly, and it was assumed "he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta". "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing, and we'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." A NSW Police spokesperson said at 4.35pm on Tuesday, July 15, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash in the vicinity of Dargals Trail, Snowy Valleys. Air Services Australia notified the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that a plane took off from Victoria, bound for Moruya Airport; however, it never arrived. A command post was established. A search commenced involving officers attached to the NSW Police Alpine Operations Unit, with assistance from NSW and Victoria Ambulance Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre airwing. But the plane could not be located. About 8.30am, Wednesday, July 16, the multi-agency search resumed, involving officers attached to NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, State Emergency Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Snowy Hydro. "The AMSA Challenger rescue jet and two helicopters, from Victoria and Sydney, conducted an overhead search," the NSW Police spokesperson said. "About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter located what was believed to be the crashed plane near the plane's last known GPS location." Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". "David is also a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs on the Sapphire Coast region," Ms Stephens said. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and in turn, the Australian Rally Championships." President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers Tony Rettke said he drafted Mr Stephens as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member and I could tell he had a lot to contribute with regard to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant, and was only two months away from retirement, when his family said they hoped to spend more time with him. A plane that was reported missing over the Snowy Mountains on a flight from Victoria to the NSW South Coast has been located. The aircraft was being flown by 74-year-old David Stephens, a resident of Brogo in the Bega Valley. He went missing on Tuesday afternoon between Wangaratta and Moruya. Mr Stephens' wife, Lynda, spoke out earlier on Thursday about her husband's lifelong love of flying. "Unfortunately, David disappeared on his flight home on Tuesday, July 15, after having his aircraft inspected," she said in a statement to The Bay Post. Lynda said the mountain weather could turn very quickly, and it was assumed "he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta". "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing, and we'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." A NSW Police spokesperson said at 4.35pm on Tuesday, July 15, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash in the vicinity of Dargals Trail, Snowy Valleys. Air Services Australia notified the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that a plane took off from Victoria, bound for Moruya Airport; however, it never arrived. A command post was established. A search commenced involving officers attached to the NSW Police Alpine Operations Unit, with assistance from NSW and Victoria Ambulance Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre airwing. But the plane could not be located. About 8.30am, Wednesday, July 16, the multi-agency search resumed, involving officers attached to NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, State Emergency Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Snowy Hydro. "The AMSA Challenger rescue jet and two helicopters, from Victoria and Sydney, conducted an overhead search," the NSW Police spokesperson said. "About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter located what was believed to be the crashed plane near the plane's last known GPS location." Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". "David is also a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs on the Sapphire Coast region," Ms Stephens said. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and in turn, the Australian Rally Championships." President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers Tony Rettke said he drafted Mr Stephens as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member and I could tell he had a lot to contribute with regard to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant, and was only two months away from retirement, when his family said they hoped to spend more time with him. A plane that was reported missing over the Snowy Mountains on a flight from Victoria to the NSW South Coast has been located. The aircraft was being flown by 74-year-old David Stephens, a resident of Brogo in the Bega Valley. He went missing on Tuesday afternoon between Wangaratta and Moruya. Mr Stephens' wife, Lynda, spoke out earlier on Thursday about her husband's lifelong love of flying. "Unfortunately, David disappeared on his flight home on Tuesday, July 15, after having his aircraft inspected," she said in a statement to The Bay Post. Lynda said the mountain weather could turn very quickly, and it was assumed "he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta". "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing, and we'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." A NSW Police spokesperson said at 4.35pm on Tuesday, July 15, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash in the vicinity of Dargals Trail, Snowy Valleys. Air Services Australia notified the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that a plane took off from Victoria, bound for Moruya Airport; however, it never arrived. A command post was established. A search commenced involving officers attached to the NSW Police Alpine Operations Unit, with assistance from NSW and Victoria Ambulance Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre airwing. But the plane could not be located. About 8.30am, Wednesday, July 16, the multi-agency search resumed, involving officers attached to NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, State Emergency Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Snowy Hydro. "The AMSA Challenger rescue jet and two helicopters, from Victoria and Sydney, conducted an overhead search," the NSW Police spokesperson said. "About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter located what was believed to be the crashed plane near the plane's last known GPS location." Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". "David is also a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs on the Sapphire Coast region," Ms Stephens said. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and in turn, the Australian Rally Championships." President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers Tony Rettke said he drafted Mr Stephens as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member and I could tell he had a lot to contribute with regard to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant, and was only two months away from retirement, when his family said they hoped to spend more time with him. A plane that was reported missing over the Snowy Mountains on a flight from Victoria to the NSW South Coast has been located. The aircraft was being flown by 74-year-old David Stephens, a resident of Brogo in the Bega Valley. He went missing on Tuesday afternoon between Wangaratta and Moruya. Mr Stephens' wife, Lynda, spoke out earlier on Thursday about her husband's lifelong love of flying. "Unfortunately, David disappeared on his flight home on Tuesday, July 15, after having his aircraft inspected," she said in a statement to The Bay Post. Lynda said the mountain weather could turn very quickly, and it was assumed "he must have seen a way over the mountain to decide not to turn back to Wangaratta". "David has quite a bit of experience flying the plane, but we can't know what situation he was facing, and we'll only have answers once they locate the plane and, with that, David." A NSW Police spokesperson said at 4.35pm on Tuesday, July 15, emergency services were notified of a possible plane crash in the vicinity of Dargals Trail, Snowy Valleys. Air Services Australia notified the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that a plane took off from Victoria, bound for Moruya Airport; however, it never arrived. A command post was established. A search commenced involving officers attached to the NSW Police Alpine Operations Unit, with assistance from NSW and Victoria Ambulance Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre airwing. But the plane could not be located. About 8.30am, Wednesday, July 16, the multi-agency search resumed, involving officers attached to NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, State Emergency Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Snowy Hydro. "The AMSA Challenger rescue jet and two helicopters, from Victoria and Sydney, conducted an overhead search," the NSW Police spokesperson said. "About 4pm, Thursday, July 17, a rescue helicopter located what was believed to be the crashed plane near the plane's last known GPS location." Mr Stephens earned his pilot's licence before he began driving in the 1960s, and was immensely proud of his 1966 Beechcraft Debonair, which he christened "Deb". "David is also a well-known and respected rally sport competitor and a dedicated committee member for various motorsport clubs on the Sapphire Coast region," Ms Stephens said. "If he wasn't competing, he'll be volunteering as an official in all capacities for the ACT and NSW rally series, and in turn, the Australian Rally Championships." President of the Frogs Hollow Flyers Tony Rettke said he drafted Mr Stephens as secretary to the club in recognition of his broad experience. "I pulled him onto the committee because he was a member and I could tell he had a lot to contribute with regard to being a wise person and a flyer for many years," he said. Mr Stephens worked for decades as a chartered tax accountant, and was only two months away from retirement, when his family said they hoped to spend more time with him.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Time of India
CBI registers case against Nagaland Univ dean for ‘graft'
Guwahati: The CBI has registered a case against a dean of Nagaland University for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a vendor and harassing others who supplied equipment and UPS batteries to the department of botany. Chitta Ranjan Deb, a senior professor and the dean of Schools of Sciences in the university, was booked by the central agency under charges of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). The central agency, in a press communiqué, stated that it received information against the dean alleging his involvement in various corrupt and illegal practices. "It is alleged that with a predetermined intention to cause wrongful loss to Nagaland University and corresponding personal pecuniary gain to himself in the matter of favourable award of supply orders of scientific equipment, consumables, etc, he is showing favour to different bidders or companies against obtaining undue advantage/bribe," the CBI said. The central agency further said sources revealed that on various occasions, Deb demanded undue advantage or bribe from Ravindra Kumar Jain of "M/s Jaldhara & Company" of Jorhat in Assam against the supply order worth Rs 5 lakh, which was already delivered by Jain to the university, and for equipment and consumables worth Rs 23 lakh being procured from Jain. The CBI said sources revealed that Deb also demanded undue advantage from one Gulzar Hussain, owner of "M/s C S Power Solutions" of Jorhat in Assam for award of supply orders of UPS batteries and other items. Hence, in view of the above-mentioned facts and circumstances, CBI registered a regular case under charges of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) against the dean, and the investigation of the case is entrusted to CBI inspector Vikas Kumar.
Hans India
14-07-2025
- Hans India
Nagaland University Dean booked by CBI for demanding Rs 2 lakh bribe from supplier
The CBI has booked a Nagaland University Dean for demanding a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a vendor and harassing others who supplied equipment and UPS batteries to the department of Botany, an official said on Monday. Chitta Ranjan Deb, Senior Professor, Dean of School of Sciences, Department of Botany, Nagaland University, was booked for indulging in various corrupt and illegal practices with a predetermined intention to cause wrongful loss to the institution and corresponding personal pecuniary gain to himself, the official said. The FIR said, 'A Regular Case is registered Under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) against Dr. Chitta Ranjan Deb and investigation of the case is entrusted to… CBl, ACB, Guwahati.' A source revealed to the CBI that earlier some vendors had given bribe to Deb via ATM machines and bank accounts as he had shown favour to them in supply of various items to the Nagaland University. The FIR, registered by CBl, ACB Guwahati, on July 12, said that Deb was involved in wrongdoings related to favourable award of supply orders of scientific equipment and consumables to different bidders and companies against obtaining undue advantage or bribe. The CBI said information received from a source said that on various occasions Deb demanded undue bribe from Ravindra Kumar Jain of M/s Jaldhara and Company of Jorhat, Assam, against the supply order worth Rs 5 lakh which had already been delivered and for equipment/consumables worth Rs 23 lakh being procured from Jain. The CBI source further revealed that Deb had also demanded bribe from Gulzar Hussain of CS Power Solutions of Jorhat, Assam, in the matter of award of supply orders of UPS batteries and other items. The FIR was registered after the CBI was informed that Deb would be visiting Jorhat on July 12 in a bid to meet Jain for obtaining a bribe of Rs 2 lakh. The source further disclosed that Deb also planned to meet Gulzar Hussain for obtaining a bribe of Rs 15,000 on the same day.
