What happened
On Thursday, 19 March 2026, a Cessna 441 Conquest twin-engine aircraft registered VH-LBZ and operated by Skippers Aviation crashed near Fisherman's Bend at Roebuck Bay, close to Broome in Western Australia. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident, though all seven occupants on board survived.
The aircraft departed Broome Airport on runway 10 at approximately 11:17 am local time on a charter flight bound for Anjo Peninsula–Truscott–Mungalalu Airport. Shortly after take-off during the initial climb phase, the aircraft lost altitude and subsequently crashed into mangroves near Fisherman's Bend. One of the seven occupants sustained serious injuries, while the remaining six occupants sustained other injuries.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was notified and commenced an investigation into the occurrence, publishing an initial update regarding the accident.