Cessna Plane Crash Off Queensland Coast Attributed to Overweight and Engine Failure

Australian Transport Safety Bureau finds excessive weight and engine drag made ditching the aircraft unavoidable.

A twin-engine Cessna crashed into the ocean off the Sunshine Coast during a ferry flight to the US, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
The aircraft was equipped with additional fuel tanks and exceeded its maximum take-off weight under a special permit for the long-distance flight.
Failure of the left engine caused its propeller to create significant drag, preventing the plane from maintaining altitude on one engine.
The pilots successfully evacuated into a liferaft and were rescued shortly after, but the aircraft sank and has not been recovered.
The ATSB's findings highlight the combined risks of overweight conditions and mechanical failure during such operations.