What happened
Approximately one hour after taking off, and roughly 15 minutes after the aircraft had climbed to a cruising altitude of 9,000 feet, the left engine ceased operation. In response to the failure, the flight crew feathered the left propeller and initiated a course change toward the nearest airport, located 80 miles from their position.
During the diversion, the aircraft was unable to sustain its altitude and began a steady descent at a rate of 500 feet per minute. Roughly 20 minutes after the initial engine loss, the aircraft ditched into the ocean, approximately 50 miles short of the intended airport. While the aircraft itself was not recovered, all passengers and the crew were successfully rescued the next morning.
Findings
Information provided by the aircraft owner and second pilot indicated that the aircraft was operating at a weight approximately 90 pounds above the maximum allowable limit at the time of departure. Additionally, the previous owner noted that both engines had surpassed their recommended overhaul intervals by approximately 450 flight hours. The engine failure and subsequent inability to maintain altitude occurred while the aircraft was significantly overweight.