The skies over the Far South Coast lost a familiar and beloved hum in July 2025, when recreational pilot David Stephens tragically died after his aircraft crashed in the Snowy Mountains.
A Final Goodbye and a Forgotten Water Bottle
Lynda Leigh, from Brogo, recalls the poignant details of her last day with her husband, July 15, 2025. She drove David to Frogs Hollow for his flight in his cherished 1966 Beechcraft Debonair. After a kiss and a casual "I'll see you when I see you," she left with their two rescued Great Danes.
It was only when she reached roadworks on the Princes Highway that she realised he had left his water bottle behind. Knowing how hot the plane cabin could get, she immediately turned back. "He said, 'You shouldn't have done that'," Lynda remembers. "And I said, 'Of course I do, I've got to take care of you'."
That act of care was their final interaction. David, 72, later became disoriented during the flight, leading to the fatal crash. Lynda finds solace in knowing he died doing what he loved and was on his way home to her.
A Life Lived with Gusto: From Vietnam to the Rally Stage
Lynda is determined that David be remembered for how he lived, not just how he died. Born in Camperdown, NSW, on November 11, 1952, he was a man of many talents and deep integrity.
After attending The King's School in Parramatta, he was conscripted for national service during the Vietnam War. Despite a university exemption, he chose to serve. His exceptional flying skills saw him handpicked to fly gunships for the United States forces.
Upon his return, he built a successful career, working as a mining engineer, a commercial accountant for public companies and the federal government, and finally running his own accounting practice for over 20 years.
His passion for adrenaline wasn't confined to the air. David was a keen and accomplished rally car driver and co-driver, his home adorned with shelves of trophies. In a profoundly moving tribute, Lynda gave rally calls from the hearse on the way to his cremation, guiding him on his "final lap."
A Love Story That Took Flight
David and Lynda met in 2013, introduced by a friend who recommended a "plain-speaking accountant." The professional relationship soon blossomed into romance. Lynda describes David as a "knight with a calculator"—a charming, flirtatious gentleman who always dressed smartly and retained a youthful curiosity.
"I wasn't dating a 60-year-old at that time," she laughs. "I was dating a '16-year-old' at heart." They bonded over hearing aid appointments and shared dreams. They married on May 25, 2024, enjoying 14 months of marriage after 12 years together.
They encouraged each other's dreams. When Lynda learned David had wanted to be a pilot since he was 19, she supported him wholeheartedly. After beating stage four kidney cancer and being cancer-free for five years, he regained his pilot's licence and bought "Deb," the Debonair.
His signature text to Lynda whenever he flew was simple: "Look up." She would hear the distinct medium-pitched hum of his plane and know her man was in his element.
Today, Lynda holds a few precious remnants: his wedding ring and a mangled aviation headset recovered from the wreckage. She remembers the man—the accountant, the rally driver, the pilot, the husband—whose spirit was always aimed skyward, encouraging everyone to look up and dream.
