What happened
A ferry flight involving a Cessna 208B, registration VH-FAY, began in Western Australia with the intention of traveling to the United States via the North Pacific Route. During the initial stages of the journey, the aircraft experienced a standby alternator fault in Alice Springs, which was repaired by maintenance engineers. The flight continued through various stops in Australia and Micronesia. While in Saipan, the aircraft was delayed for over a week due to necessary repairs to a propeller anti-ice boot.
On 26 September 2018, the aircraft departed Saipan, bound for New Chitose Airport in Japan. During the cruise phase at flight level 220, the pilot provided several status updates via a Garmin device, reporting clear weather and steady fuel flow. The final radio communication occurred at 0121 UTC, when the pilot contacted Tokyo Radio via HF radio while near the TEGOD reporting point. Although the pilot was expected to check in again at the SAGOP waypoint, no further contact was made.
Following the missed communication, Tokyo Radio attempted to reach the aircraft multiple times on different frequencies. Approximately four and a half hours later, two Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft intercepted VH-FAY. The pilot failed to follow standard international intercept procedures, such as wing rocking, and the aircraft maintained its course. The intercepting crew could not confirm the pilot's status due to visibility issues within the cockpit.
At 0626 UTC, the aircraft's GPS signal ceased transmitting near the Japanese coast. Radar monitoring indicated a rapid descent from flight level 220, followed by an impact with the ocean surface roughly two minutes later. A search operation recovered the aircraft's rear passenger door, but the pilot and the rest of the wreckage were not found.