What happened
Approximately twenty minutes into the flight, the pilot reported that the left engine began running roughly. This was accompanied by an unusual smell and high cylinder head temperatures. In response to these symptoms, the pilot shut down the left engine and diverted to a different airport better suited for an emergency landing.
During the continued flight, the pilot encountered increasing difficulty maintaining altitude. The aircraft eventually crashed short of the destination airport. Upon impact, the wreckage burst into flames; however, the pilot was able to escape the wreckage before the airplane was completely consumed by fire.
The investigation
Investigators performed an examination of the wreckage to identify any mechanical issues that may have contributed to the accident. However, the investigation could not disclose a specific mechanical problem because the entire airframe was destroyed by fire.