What happened
A private Cessna 414A departed from Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport in Ontario, traveling toward Sydney, Nova Scotia. The flight was being conducted under instrument flight rules with two people on board, including the pilot-in-command and the owner of the aircraft.
As the aircraft approached its destination, the pilot was cleared for an instrument approach. However, upon reaching the final approach waypoint, air traffic controllers instructed the pilot to abandon the approach because of other aircraft in the vicinity. While the pilot was attempting to maneuver for a subsequent approach, the aircraft lost controlled flight. The plane entered a sudden descent and struck the water at 2335 Atlantic Daylight Time.
Search efforts identified the wreckage using side-scan sonar 11 days after the accident, locating the debris in water measuring 170 feet deep. The impact resulted in two fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigators noted that the aircraft entered a rapid descent while maneuvering for a second approach. Additionally, the emergency locator transmitter failed to send out a signal following the impact.