What happened
Following departure, the aircraft climbed to approximately 2,000 feet MSL over the water. The flight was proceeding along the south coast of the island, with the pilot's intention to circumnavately the island before returning to Torrance. During the cruise phase, the engine began to sputter, and passengers reported hearing noises characteristic of dieseling.
While the propeller continued to rotate, the engine produced no power output. The pilot attempted an immediate turn back toward the airport; however, the aircraft began losing altitude. Fearing the aircraft would not clear the hills located between the current position and the airfield, the pilot identified a relatively flat plateau and maneuvered toward it, intending to land on a dirt road.
During the descent toward the road, the aircraft struck a scrub oak tree shortly before reaching the open area. Upon coming to rest, the aircraft caught fire. The post-crash fire was intense enough to totally consume the aircraft. There were 3 occupants on board and no fatalities were reported in the provided text.
The investigation
An examination of the engine was conducted via a teardown. During this process, investigators found that all engine accessories, including the fuel systems and ignition, were destroyed by the post-crash fire. However, the teardown revealed no unusual internal engine operating condition.