An investigation will be launched into the death of a 60-year-old pilot who died after his Hughes ultralight aircraft crashed into the ocean off North Stradbroke Island on Saturday.
An expert flight crash investigator will fly to Dunwich from Melbourne on Sunday in a bid to determine the cause of the crash.
Acting Police Superintendent Steve Dabinett said police were speaking with three witnesses but have urged anyone who saw the crash to come forward.
He said police were notifying next of kin, including the man's partner.
Superintendent Dabinett said the two-seater plane left the Straddie Aero Club, at Dunwich, on the island's west just after 10.30am.
Minutes later, it pitched into shallow waters close to shore on the east side of the island, 7km south of Point Lookout about 11am.
An Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman confirmed the aircraft was a two-seater and the male pilot was the only person on board.
Earlier reports said the plane had the capacity to carry six and there were concerns for passengers.
Divers at the scene pulled the body of the man from the water after he was flung from the aircraft. His body was found metres from the wreckage just after 11.30am.
A Careflight helicopter was dispatched at 11.34am after a distress beacon was set off by the light aircraft.
Main Beach, south of Point Lookout, was closed just after 11.30am when paramedics from Careflight Sunshine Coast arrived on the scene.
Surf Lifesaving Queensland crew helped haul the body out of the water, using a jet ski to take the body ashore.
Witnesses to the crash told Redland City Bulletin they watched in horror as the plane, flying north towards Point Lookout, slowly dropped from the sky into the water about 100m offshore, 7km south of Point Lookout.
Island resident Dave Thelander was the first on the scene and witnesses saw the plane's left wing tip downwards before the plane nosedived 70m into the water.
Mr Thelander said debris started washing up on Main Beach soon after the crash. He said residents helped pick up parts of the plane in a bid to try to identify the type of aircraft.
Redland Bay Water Police senior constable Stuart Lucas said the plane's wreckage was too close to shore for his boat to access.
George Nothling Drive and Tarzi Road to the Causeway have been closed. Main Beach was also closed as it was expected debris and the fuselage from the light aircraft will wash up this afternoon.
A crew from Redland Bay Water Police attended the scene along with VMR vessels from Brisbane and the Coast Guard from Brisbane.
