Incident Overview
During a normal cruise phase of flight, the pilot of a twin-engine aircraft informed air traffic control (ATC) of a failure affecting the left engine. The pilot was able to feather the propeller on the failed engine but could not maintain a safe altitude due to the aircraft's heavy weight. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed into the ocean.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Search and rescue (SAR) operations were initiated following the loss of contact. However, after several days of searching, the efforts were abandoned as no trace of the aircraft or the pilot was found.
Official Findings
The investigation determined the probable cause of the accident to be a powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The exact nature of the failure could not be established due to the lack of wreckage or other evidence.