VH-NOE plunged into the sea off Wollongong on April 2, 1989. Debris was seen from a helicopter but continuing bad weather delayed recovery for two weeks. By then all trace of the aircraft and its pilot had vanished. In a tragic twist, the passengers who were to be collected at Wollongong had contacted the charter company to cancel the flight. They believed the weather was too poor to fly and had decided to drive instead. By then the pilot had departed Sydney for Wollongong.