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AO-2025-001 - Collision with water involving Cessna 208, VH-WTY, near Rottnest Island, Western Australia, on 7 January 2025

Via ATSB:

Rottnest Island Cessna 208 accident

Date: 08/01/2025

Media Contact: media@atsb.gov.au

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced a transport safety investigation into a collision with water accident involving a Cessna 208 floatplane during take-off near Rottnest Island, off Perth, on Tuesday afternoon.

As reported to the ATSB, during take-off the floatplane collided with the water, before coming to rest partially submerged.

The ATSB will deploy a team of transport safety investigators from its Perth, Brisbane and Canberra offices, specialising in human performance, and aircraft operations and maintenance.

Investigators will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities, including site and wreckage examination, and recovery of any aircraft components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.

Investigators will also seek to interview those on board, and any other witnesses and involved parties, and collect relevant recorded information including available flight tracking data, as well as pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information.

The ATSB asks anyone who may have witnessed or has photos or video footage of the aircraft at any phase of the flight, or in the immediate aftermath of the accident, to make contact via the witness form on our website at their earliest opportunity.

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Summary

The ATSB is investigating a collision with water involving a Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian, registered VH-WTY, near Rottnest Island, Western Australia, on 7 January 2025. On board was one pilot, and 6 passengers.

During the water take-off, the aircraft was observed to become airborne then impact the water. The pilot and 2 passengers were fatally injured, and 3 passengers sustained serious injuries.

The ATSB deployed a team of transport safety investigators to the accident site with experience in aircraft operations, maintenance, and human factors. As part of the on-site and evidence collection phase of the investigation, ATSB investigators will examine the aircraft wreckage and other information from the accident site. They will also examine recovered components, interview witnesses and any involved parties, examine maintenance records and operator procedures, retrieve and review recorded data, and collect other relevant information.

The ATSB calls for any witnesses who may have seen the accident, or any pilots operating in the area who may have heard radio calls from the accident aircraft, to make contact with us via the witness form on our website.

The ATSB will release a preliminary report detailing factual information established in the investigation’s evidence-gathering phase in about two months. A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation and will detail analysis and findings.

However, if at any time during the investigation we discover a critical safety issue, the ATSB will work closely with the relevant stakeholders so action can be taken to address that issue.

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