One of six people who survived a light plane crash in Queensland was literally pulled from the wreckage by her hair.
Aviation experts are hailing the pilot a hero, after he executed a near perfect ditch into a dam and then managed to get all five of his passengers out safely.
Queensland Ambulance spokesman Gavin Cousins said the plane was barely visible when crews arrived at the scene near Proserpine on Sunday.
"All we could see was the end of the tail that was above the water," he told ABC radio.
"The lady that we treated and transported to hospital said she was pulled out by her hair."
The Australian Federation of Air Pilots has praised the pilot for his skill in keeping the plane under control until the moment it touched the water.
"It sounds as though it was a very well-executed ditch," president David Booth told the ABC.
He said the design of the Piper Cherokee 6 had probably given him more time to get his passengers out.
"It has a low wing and as a result it's probably going to float with the cabin above the water for some moments, allowing the passengers to exit."
A 25-year-old woman remains in Proserpine Hospital with fractured vertebrae.
Investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau are investigating the cause of the crash, which happened soon after the plane took off from a nearby airfield.
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