A tragic aviation accident has claimed the lives of three men after a light plane crashed into the ocean near Long Bay, close to Goolwa South, on Friday afternoon. Emergency services confirmed the deaths of the pilot and his two teenage passengers following the aircraft’s plunge into the sea just before 4:30 pm. 

South Australia Police said the victims were a 57-year-old man from Morphett Vale, identified as seasoned pilot and flight instructor Leo Howard, and two young men aged 18 and 20 from Freeling and Pasadena respectively. All three were pronounced dead at the scene after the aircraft struck the water and sank near a popular stretch of coast where the Murray River meets the Southern Ocean, 9News reported. 

Witnesses to the incident described the single-engine Cessna 210 spinning and rapidly descending before hitting the water, prompting an immediate response from police, Sea Rescue and Surf Life Saving crews. Despite swift efforts by emergency services, no survivors were found.  

Howard was well-known in local aviation circles for his experience in both regular and aerobatic flying, regularly training aspiring pilots in manoeuvres and flight skills. His family and friends paid tribute to his passion for flying and his role as a mentor to many. The younger victims were reported to be trainee pilots pursuing their aviation licences and shared a deep enthusiasm for flight.  

The aircraft wreckage has been recovered to shore and will be examined as part of an official inquiry. Investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are on site to gather evidence, interview witnesses, review aircraft maintenance records and analyse any available footage or flight data to determine the cause of the crash. A detailed report will be prepared for the coroner, 9News noted. 

Police confirmed that the incident occurred in calm visibility conditions, but that rough surf and strong currents complicated the recovery work. Authorities have appealed to anyone with video or photographic evidence of the aircraft’s flight before the crash to come forward, as such material could assist investigators in understanding the sequence of events.