What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was in cruise flight along the western coast of Australia. During this phase of the flight, a fire broke out in the left engine. In response to the emergency, the pilot executed an immediate ditching into the open sea near Lancelin, located approximately 100 kilometers north of Perth.
All personnel on board successfully evacuated the aircraft and were subsequently rescued by emergency services. Following the evacuation, the airframe drifted toward the shoreline. The combination of rough seas and impact with coral heads caused severe structural damage to the fuselage and wings. Due to the extent of the destruction, the aircraft was declared a total loss and was not recovered from the site.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the fire originated in the accessory section of the port engine. The primary contributing factor was identified as an electrical short circuit within this system, which initiated the combustion event.