What happened
On July 2, authorities recovered a main landing gear component from the Chesapeake Bay. The Federal Aviation Administration identified this specific part as belonging to aircraft N7284P. Subsequently, on July 9, 1983, the body of a deceased passenger was located in the same body of water.
The investigation
An examination of flight records revealed that there was no documented communication between the aircraft and any FAA facility after it departed. This absence of contact suggests the event occurred without standard air traffic control interaction or monitoring.
Findings
Weather conditions in the vicinity where the landing gear was located were determined to be unsuitable for visual flight rules (VFR) operations. The combination of poor weather and lack of communication points to a loss of situational awareness or control during the incident.