Incident Details
During an overwater flight, the pilot reported that a fire began in the front section of the aircraft while cruising at 10,500 feet. The pilot subsequently ditched the aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft sank in the ocean and was not recovered.
Emergency Response
The pilot radioed his position on the emergency frequency (121.5 MHz) and squawked an emergency code (7700) on his transponder. About four hours after ditching, the pilot was rescued by the Coast Guard.
Investigation
The aircraft was not recovered, so the cause of the fire could not be determined. The pilot suspected that it was an electrical fire.