Cessna Aircraft 210L VH-DJT, 26 km ESE of Cloncurry, Queensland, 11 June 1976

The pilot telephoned Archerfield Briefing Office at 0620 hours and notified flight plan details for a direct flight from Redcliffe to Cloncurry operating in accordance with the Visual Flight Rules. 

His flight plan indicated an expected departure time of 0730 hours, cruising altitude 8,500 feet, a flight time of 289 minutes and a fuel endurance of 396 minutes. The meteorological forecasts which he obtained indicated that fine conditions would prevail over the proposed route. 

Prior to departure the pilot refuelled the aircraft, probably to capacity. He then supervised the loading of the aircraft and, at departure, the gross weight of the aircraft was about the maximum permissible.