Plane lost lift before fatal crash: report

A fiery plane crash that killed a student pilot and his instructor was caused by a loss of control and aerodynamic stall, an investigation has found.

On November 9, 2012 the 40-year-old trainee and his instructor, 47, took off from the Gold Coast bound for Lismore in northern NSW.

During a left-hand turn in circuit training, the single-engine SOCATA TB 20 aircraft reached an angle which caused a loss of lift, or "stall", the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) reported.

"The instructor was unable to prevent the stall from occurring due to either insufficient warning or available time to react," said the ATSB's final investigation report, published on Tuesday.

Witnesses saw the aircraft bank steeply and gain speed as it headed nose-first toward the ground, passing low over a nearby highway.

The plane hit the ground in a paddock about 3km south of Lismore airport, breaking its landing gear before spearing through a fence, rupturing a wing fuel tank and catching fire.

The aircraft came to rest on its roof in a ditch.

Post-mortem examinations concluded both men died from "impact-related injuries".