What happened
During the cruise portion of the flight, the pilot notified air traffic control regarding a malfunction involving the left engine. Although the crew successfully feathered the propeller to reduce drag, the aircraft's high weight prevented the maintenance of a safe altitude.
Following the loss of altitude, the twin-engine airplane impacted the ocean. Search and rescue operations were launched immediately following the disappearance; however, these efforts were terminated after several days when no wreckage or evidence of the pilot was located. The incident resulted in one fatality.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that a powerplant failure occurred, though the specific underlying reason for the engine malfunction remains undetermined.