What happened
During a visual flight rules (VFR) flight, the pilot contacted an airport tower controller to verify if weather conditions at the field were suitable for VFR operations. The controller confirmed that the conditions were VFR. At that time, the pilot reported being located 15 miles north of the airport.
The controller subsequently cleared the aircraft for a straight-in approach and instructed the pilot to report when established on the 3-mile final. Approximately two minutes later, the controller queried the pilot regarding his current position. The pilot responded that he was proceeding toward a navigational aid to attempt another approach.
When asked if he would like a contact approach, the pilot accepted the offer. The controller provided the appropriate approach control frequency; however, no further transmissions were received from the pilot. Following the loss of communication, the aircraft and the pilot could not be located and were presumed lost at sea.