Family and community in mourning for beloved pilot Rob Hoyle killed alongside student in ‘horrific’ Parafield Airport crash

A young pilot who had dreamed of flying since childhood has been identified as one of the two men killed when a training flight crashed into a hangar at Parafield Airport, triggering a catastrophic fire and injuring ten others.

Instructor Robert “Rob” Hoyle, 29, died alongside his student, 24, when their Diamond DA42 rolled sharply left just seconds after take‑off and plunged into the building.

WATCH ABOVE: Piloted identified after being killed in ‘horrific’ plane crash

His father Scott Hoyle told 7NEWS his son had been a commercial pilot for more than a decade and was “respected and admired by his peers and students”.

He preferred to be called Rob and was affectionately known as “Goose” — a Top Gun reference — by those he trained.

Among the first people on scene was Dr Dahn Tran, whose clinic sits just three buildings from the crash site.

He told 7NEWS that he and a colleague heard “a loud explosion followed by another little explosion” around 2.10pm and ran outside to find black smoke pouring from the hangar.

“We decided to rush over and help,” he said.

“One injured person had severe burns… at least 80 per cent of his body.”

Tran said the man was conscious and breathing on his own

Ten people were taken to hospital, including a 55‑year‑old Underdale man with life‑threatening burns.

7NEWS understands only the Underdale man and another person remain in hospital, with a further eight people discharged as of Thursday.

A witness, who did not want to be named, saw the aircraft moments before impact told 7NEWS.com.au about how the plane narrowly missed the airport fuel supply.

“I probably watched it for like two seconds and then it just disappeared into the hangar… it was so quiet and then there was a bang, and it was just a big black cloud of smoke,” they said.

They said the crash came within about 50 metres of the airport’s main fuel depot, describing it as a near‑miss that could have made the disaster far worse.

“If it was 50 metres further to the south… that’s where they fill planes up,” they said.

“Obviously it would have been a lot worse if they hit that.”

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said investigators were confronted with “quite a catastrophic scene” inside the hangar, where engineers and maintenance staff were working at the time and a nearby classroom — occupied by students — was also struck.

He said the aircraft “very soon after take‑off… started a roll to the left”, continuing past 180 degrees before hitting the building in a steep descent and sparking a “substantive post‑impact fire”.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the incident was “tragic”, offering condolences to the families of the two men killed and thanking first responders for their “swift and courageous response”.

The ATSB is analysing CCTV, eyewitness accounts and aircraft documentation, and will take engine components to Canberra to determine whether mechanical issues, asymmetric power, pilot input or training activity contributed to the sudden left roll.

Mitchell said it was too early to speculate.

Investigators expect to remain on site for several days, with a preliminary report outlining the known facts due in six to eight weeks.