A single-engine Cessna 210 crashed into the ocean off South Australia’s coast on Friday afternoon, February 6, 2026, claiming the lives of all three people on board.
The accident occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m. local time at Long Bay, near the port town of Goolwa South and the Murray Mouth, about 63 kilometres south of Adelaide. South Australia Police (SAPOL) confirmed that the aircraft struck the water at high speed, leaving no survivors.
The Victims
Authorities have identified the three victims as:
- The 57-year-old pilot from Morphett Vale.
- An 18-year-old passenger from Freeling.
- A 19-year-old passenger from Pasadena.
Eyewitness Accounts
Local residents and witnesses at a popular fishing spot described harrowing scenes. Tamara, a Goolwa resident who rushed to the area after hearing sirens, described the aftermath.
«There’s a lot of chaos down here, it’s scary,» she said.
Footage captured by witnesses and shared with investigators reportedly shows the aircraft losing control and spiralling toward the water in a steep, vertical descent before the impact created a large plume of water.
ATSB Investigation
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched a formal investigation into the crash. Recovery teams worked on Saturday to retrieve the wreckage from the ocean floor for forensic examination.
ATSB spokesperson Colin McNamara noted that investigators will focus on the flight’s final moments:
«In the footage, the aircraft has come down into the water while rotating to the left in a very steep nose-down attitude… Understanding the sequence of events that led to that trajectory is central.»
The probe will include an examination of the aircraft’s maintenance records, pilot medical history, and flight tracking data. A preliminary report is expected to be released in approximately two months.
