Their fellow student was on her way back from an appointment at the Royal Children's Hospital on an Angel Flight plane when the aircraft crashed, killing her and the pilot Don Kernot, 69, and seriously injuring her mother Julie.

Nhill College principal Leonie Praetz said Jacinda was a special student and the student body and teachers were devastated when they heard about the accident.

"A large number of students are really upset, and we have a team of counsellors from the department here," Ms Praetz said.

"She was a very popular, very friendly and very caring person.

"We have been impressed by the number of students, from across several age groups, who are upset and it is because she took younger students under her wing and she was involved in everything.

Jacinda Twigg

"Jacinda was involved in the drama production, she played the flute and was always very helpful with the teachers.

"She is someone who will be sadly missed by the community.

''Being a small town, it is really being felt.

"Students spent the morning making cards in memory of her and they have expressed a wish to raise money for the arthritis foundation."

Jacinda had her first Angel Flight in May 2009 and was on her 26th Angel Flight journey to Melbourne because of her condition, juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Angel Flight director Terry McGowan said the organisation's pilots were upset by the news.

"We were very familiar with the family; a lot of our pilots who have flown Jacinda are quite upset," Mr McGowan said.

"The pilots really get connected to patients. It's a very hard day for us; our thoughts go out to the family of Jacinda and also to the pilot's family.

"The pilot, Don Kernot, was a retired Yarrawonga man. He bought a Piper Cherokee plane out of his own money to do these flights."

It is the first incident involving an Angel Flight plane out of 11,300 flights.

Hindmarsh Shire Council chief executive Dean Miller said the council started a Twigg Family Appeal yesterday.

"Anyone can donate to the appeal at any National Australia Bank branch in Australia," Mr Miller said.

"Obviously the family have had a lot of expenses getting Jacinda to hospital over the years, and now with Julie in hospital the costs will add up, so this is a small way to help them."

A Facebook tribute page to Jacinda was created yesterday afternoon: ''RIP Jacinda, we will always love you, you will be in our hearts forever'' and tributes for the teenager were flooding in.