What happened
During an instrument flight rules (IFR) departure under conditions of low visibility and fog, an aircraft experienced a significant loss of power on its right engine during the takeoff roll. As the power loss occurred, the aircraft began to veer toward the right side of the runway. The pilot in command attempted to abort the takeoff; however, the second pilot took control of the aircraft and continued the takeoff sequence, subsequently feathering the right propeller.
During the climb, both crew members observed smoke emanating from the engines. There was a misunderstanding regarding the status of the landing gear, as both pilots believed it had been retracted when it actually remained in the down position. Unable to maintain sufficient altitude following the engine issues, the crew performed an emergency ditching in the ocean. All three occupants successfully evacuated the aircraft and sustained no injuries.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary cause of the engine failure was a fueling error. At approximately 04:45 hours, a ground service technician at a fixed-base operator (FBO) mistakenly loaded 147 gallons of jet fuel into the aircraft instead of the required Avgas. The technician involved had only three weeks of total experience and limited training. Factors contributing to this error included the technician's heavy workload, as they were working two jobs seven days a week, and inadequate oversight by the FBO management.
Additional contributing factors included poor visibility due to fog and low ceilings, as well as improper cockpit procedures during the takeoff roll, specifically regarding the transition of control between the pilots and the handling of the aborted takeoff attempt.