What happened
On Thursday, 4 December 2025, an Air Tractor AT-802 registered VH-LIM and operated by Pay's Air Service Pty Ltd crashed during takeoff at Linga Airfield in Victoria while conducting aerial firefighting operations. The aircraft, operating under the callsign "Bomber 358" in support of firefighting efforts at Patchewollock, commenced its takeoff roll at approximately 17:25 local time.
During the departure phase, the aircraft crashed on the airfield and subsequently caught fire. The pilot, the sole occupant, survived the impact but sustained injuries in the accident.