Almost two weeks before the crash, a pilot flying for regional charter operator DASAP had ordered 400 Litres of fuel from a refueler at Mount Isa Airport but was only given half that amount.

Thanks to a "Swiss cheese" combination of factors including incorrect paperwork and design quirks of the 43-year-old Beechcraft Baron twin-engine four-seater, the mistake wasn't discovered until the plane began losing power on June 26.

The pilot tried boosting fuel to the engines but both eventually failed, and the plane was forced into an emergency landing just north of Normanton, in Queensland's Gulf country.

In an incident report published on Wednesday, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the incident underlined the importance of quickly communicating any errors.

According to the ATSB, the refueller only topped up the plane's 628-litre tank with 200 litres, despite indicating twice that amount on a form left with the plane.

Later in the day, they noticed the error after checking the fuel metre readings at the airport and went to inform the pilot but couldn't find him, eventually getting distracted by a phone call and forgetting to pass the message on, according to the ATSB.

For his part, the pilot cross-checked the fuel amount with the plains relatively inaccurate fuel gauge but failed to check the meter readings listed on the form.

Because of the plane's design, it wasn't possible to check the fuel level with a dipstick or visually check the fuel tank, and the fuel gauge was not particularly precise.

It was 11 days and several trips later before another pilot got in the plane to make the relatively short flight from Burketown to Normanton thinking he had about 250L when the real figure was closer to 50L.

The plane ran out of fuel just out of Normanton and the pilot was forced into an emergency landing in a paddock, escaping injury but leaving the aircraft "substantially" damaged.

DASAP chief pilot Peter Poole said the damage wasn't catastrophic but because of the flying age of the craft, it wasn't worth repairing.

"You've just got to learn from it," he said, describing the incident as "one from left field".

"It's far from minor but the outcome was minor so we're very lucky.

"It could have been a disaster but the plane just landed out."

Speaking to the ATSB, the refuelling pilot said it would be good to stay with the plane during refuelling and noted the fuel gauges inaccuracy.

The ATSB noted the fuel provider now required pilots to sign and review the fuel delivery receipt.

Mr Poole said all recommendations had been put in place and the company had stuck with the fuel provider, which it had been using for 25 years.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority corporate communication manager Peter Gibson said there were almost 100 of the planes still in action and the incident showed it was important not to rely on fuel gauges and to cross-check fuel levels.