Collision with water, approx. 24 km south-east of Inverloch, Victoria, on 17 November 2007, Cessna C337G, VH-CHU

On 17 November 2007, the owner-pilot of a Cessna Aircraft Company C337G (Skymaster), registered VH-CHU, was conducting a private flight in accordance with the visual flight rules (VFR) from Moorabbin Airport, Vic. to Merimbula, NSW. The pilot, who was accompanied by three passengers, had indicated that he would be tracking along the coast. The aircraft did not arrive at Merimbula and on 19 November 2007 aircraft wreckage and three of the deceased occupants were found on a beach between Venus Bay and Cape Liptrap, Vic. Wreckage was found on the beach and in the sea off the beach. There were no survivors.

The investigation found that while manoeuvring over water at low level in conditions of reduced visibility, the pilot probably became spatially disorientated and inadvertently descended into the water. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of instrument flying qualification and minimal instrument flying training and experience.

While not a contributing safety factor, the aircraft was probably operated outside its specified weight and balance limits in the early stages of the flight, which had the potential to adversely affect the aircraft's performance and controllability. The operation of visual flight rules flights into instrument meteorological conditions (VFR into IMC) continues to be a significant risk factor in general aviation, but there are a number of countermeasures which can be used to reduce the risk.