Incident Overview
During a night flight at 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the right engine lost power and was feathered. The pilot then reported that the left engine had a partial loss of power, and the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude. The aircraft was en route when the engine issues occurred.
Communications and Ditching
The pilot maintained contact with Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center throughout the event. The pilot informed controllers of the decision to ditch the aircraft approximately 40 miles south of Nassau, in the Bahamas. The ditching took place during the flare and touchdown phase of the forced landing.
Rescue and Recovery
At 0600, a vessel from the United States Navy rescued the pilot and two passengers. The aircraft was not recovered from the ocean and remains unrecovered.
Probable Cause Findings
The official investigation reported three occurrences. The first occurrence was a loss of engine power during normal cruise. The findings for this occurrence indicate that aircraft performance was degraded because two or more engines were inoperative, and the reason for the power loss was undetermined. The second occurrence was a forced landing. The third occurrence was a ditching during the landing flare/touchdown, with the light condition noted as dark night.