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United States native William Jennings jumped at the chance to come to Australia to help protect people, homes and wildlife from raging bushfires devastating parts of Queensland and New South Wales. In his spare time, Will — as he was known to his friends and family — wanted to learn to surf and advance his thermal camera skills he had been developing as part of his mechanical engineering course at Northeastern University. "He was so loving, he was the best son ever … he just brought so much joy into our lives," his mum Denise said. The 22-year-old, who spent his free time photographing landscapes across the US, had been in Australia for 11 days when his life was cut short in a "preventable" plane crash in November 2023. He was on a firefighting surveillance plane, owned by Victorian company AGAIR, which was completing contract work for the Queensland Fire Department. The plane was flying from Toowoomba in the state's south to Mount Isa in the north-west to survey fire zones when it crashed near Cloncurry. On board was a pilot — who had suffered from hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen to the brain, in the lead up to the crash — and two camera operators, including Will. All three people on board died in the crash. The families of the other two victims have requested privacy. 'Entirely preventable' crash, safety bureau finds It was Will's first time leaving his home country. Speaking from the family's home in Long Island, New York, Will's dad Joseph said his son was his best friend. "His future was wide open. He was just really doing this job in between trying to get his next job post-college," Joseph said. In June, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found the crash was "entirely preventable" and was caused by a well-known, long-standing pressurisation defect which operators failed to report to air traffic controllers during the incident. It was only after the crash that the pressurisation system issues became apparent to regulators like the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. "I remember the night before the crash we were talking; he was talking about going up to the Gold Coast to try to learn to surf," Joseph said. "That was our last conversation … and he just never got there." Denise said the ATSB's finding that the crash was preventable was difficult to process. "It made me sick. It made me sad. It made me angry. I was just devastated by it. The worst part of it was the phone call. That's the part that really got me." The ATSB report highlighted that just before the crash AGAIR operators did not pass on information during a phone call with air traffic controllers about the plane's pressurisation defects. Controllers raised with AGAIR they had lost contact with the plane and had concern the pilot may have been suffering from a lack of oxygen. "There was an opportunity for [AGAIR] to tell them [air traffic control] that the plane had an air pressurisation defect and that information was never shared," Denise said. "They [air traffic control] could have told the plane to land and that part just really hurts me more than anything." Family 'frustrated at lack of answers' There have been no charges or enforcement action taken as a result of the crash. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which has the power to criminally prosecute, confirmed it was investigating the crash, but in the interests of "procedural fairness" could not comment on any "investigation or enforcement process" underway. Will's parents believe the crash should also be subject to investigations by workplace health and safety authorities, either in Queensland or Victoria — as the "contributing factors that led to the crash were created on the ground". "I just have a really hard time understanding why WorkSafe hasn't initiated an investigation since the release of the final ATSB report," Denise said. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland did not wish to comment, but the ABC understands the organisation's view is it has no jurisdiction to investigate the tragedy. The ABC has WorkSafe Victoria for comment. The Queensland Coroner's Court is also investigating the deaths and has been contacted for comment. All agencies need to conduct their own investigations separate to the ATSB report, as that report cannot be used for any enforcement or prosecution cases. "We do the best we can," Joseph said. Denise said they had been in contact with the family of the other camera operator, and they also wanted justice. "We want justice for Will and the others," she said. AGAIR has been contacted for comment. Its CEO Rob Boschen in June, when the ATSB report was handed down, said his thoughts remain with the families and friends of his "workmates" and that the company accepted all recommendations made by the ATSB.
