[Cap'n Wannabe]

Outpouring of grief over loss of father, son and pilot in plane crash west of Brisbane

There’s been a huge outpouring of grief over the tragic deaths of a father and son and their pilot in a light plane crash west of Brisbane late Monday.

Agribusiness leader Tom Strachan, 49, his son Noah, 20 and pilot Garry Liehm were returning to Brisbane from Lighthouse Station at Roma, when the Cessna R182 is believed to have encountered bad weather.

After stopping at Dalby to refuel, the aircraft failed to arrive at Archerfield airport as expected, an alarm was raised and an aerial search undertaken.

Wreckage was found in bushland near Wivenhoe Dam, about 60km from Brisbane. Paramedics were winched down to the site but there were no survivors.

Mr Strachan was the executive director of Packhorse, an agricultural investment and land management company focused on regenerative farming.

Eldest son Noah was learning the ropes of the business alongside his father, who split his time between his cattle station at Roma and Brisbane home.

On Tuesday, Packhorse chairman Tim Samway said everyone was deeply saddened by the loss of their “dear friend and colleague Tom, his son Noah and their pilot Gary”.

“Tom was an inspiring entrepreneur. He was exceedingly generous and charismatic and he had an absolute passion for regenerative agriculture,” Mr Samway said.

“He was a great mate to all of us. He brought people altogether, he was one of Queensland’s great leaders. I’d have to say he had more energy than most and he’d have to be one of the most positive people you could meet.”

Mr Samway said his sudden, tragic death was a huge loss to his family who were all in shock.

“I thought Tom was indestructible,” he said.

“We’d known each other such a long time. He was one of my best mates but I’m sure there will be thousands of others who will say the same. He was one of those people.”



The Packhorse team was providing support for Tom’s widow Anna, and their three other children, two of whom were school age.

“To lose Tom and Noah, is a true tragedy. It’s a huge loss to his family who we treat as part of our family,” said Mr Samway.

The flight from Roma to Brisbane with a fuel stop at Dalby, was one Mr Strachan had made countless times, many of those with Mr Liehm who was considered “part of Packhorse”, said Mr Samway.

“For Tom it was just a commuter flight. He was regularly travelling between Roma and Brisbane. He was comfortable working in Brisbane and out on his property, which he loved,” he said.

The company for which Mr Liehm worked, Gold Coast-based Executive Helicopters was co-operating with police and investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

An Executive Helicopters’ spokesman expressed their “deep sympathy” for family and friends of Mr Liehm and Tom and Noah Strachan.

“Words cannot express how we feel for both families. Tom has been a regular passenger with Garry and the two had developed a strong friendship,” said the spokesman.

“Garry had a 40-year and 30,000-hour unblemished safety record in flying fixed wing aeroplanes and helicopters. He was a highly respected member of the aviation community and his level of focus on aircraft and passenger safety was exemplary.”

He stressed the maintenance of the Cessna was all up to date.

“The machine logbooks have been quarantined for the investigation being carried out by the ATSB and Queensland Police.”

He said Executive Helicopters had an unblemished safety record in its 14-years of operation.

The ATSB had launched a “short” investigation into the crash, with a report expected in months rather than years.

Numerous friends of Mr Strachan posted tribute on his Facebook page, expressing their shock and disbelief.

His former preschool teacher Wendy McTaggart Lloyd said she still had many warm memories of his gentle kind nature.

“He was a much loved son and brother. So much to give. A sad loss indeed,” wrote Ms McTaggart Lloyd.

Friend Gary Lambert said “hard work and hard play” were Tom’s hallmark.

“It seems this was rubbing off on Noah as well. My thoughts are with Anna, family and friends at this most tragic of times,” said Mr Lambert.