Inquest to probe safety in Australian skydiving industry
Updated
An inquest into a plane crash in the north-eastern state of Queensland will investigate the lack of flight safety rules for the Australian skydiving industry.
The crash, west of the capital city, Brisbane, killed the pilot and four parachutists two years ago.
Our reporter, Debra Nowland, says the Cessna aircraft - operated by Brisbane Skydiving Centre - crashed into a dam at Willowbank in January 2006 shortly after taking off from a private property.
A pre-inquest hearing in Brisbane was told Pilot Anthony Winter had been licensed for only five months.
Counsel assisting the Coroner, Ian Harvey, said because it was a "private flight" it wasn't subject to the same safety "checks and balances" as a commercial flight.
He also said questions about the plane's engine would also be raised when the inquest is held in June.
Two other skydivers who survived the crash are also expected to give evidence.
