What happened
The incident occurred during an attempt to land at Bridgeport. Prior to the final phase of the approach, air traffic control or ground personnel twice inquired whether the pilot was receiving proper indications for the landing procedure. Despite these checks, communication was subsequently lost while the aircraft was executing an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Runway 06.
The wreckage was located in the water on January 3, 1989. It was situated approximately one and a half miles beyond the end of the runway, positioned between 1500 and 2000 feet to the right of the centerline. Divers retrieved the pilot from the debris field. Due to the location and condition of the site, the aircraft itself was not recovered.
The investigation
The primary finding was the position of the wreckage relative to the airport infrastructure. The debris field confirmed that the aircraft did not reach the runway threshold. The recovery efforts focused solely on the occupant, as the structural integrity of the airframe in the water prevented its retrieval.