What happened
During the final stages of a flight lasting approximately six hours and 20 minutes, the pilot was conducting a night visual approach. After establishing a left traffic pattern on the downwind leg, the pilot deployed the landing gear and configured the flaps to 30 degrees. While transitioning to the left base leg, the pilot reported an engine failure over the common traffic frequency.
As the aircraft crossed the final leg course, the pilot announced a transition from base to final. At this point, the aircraft began a right turn while maintaining its altitude. During this maneuver, the bank angle increased significantly until the wings reached a vertical position and then inverted. The aircraft subsequently entered a near-vertical descent, striking the ground in an upright position while in a right spin.
Findings
Post-accident investigations of the engines and airframe determined that the right engine was not producing power at the time of impact, and the propeller on that engine had not been feathered. No mechanical defects were identified in the engine that could have caused the failure. While the right fuel tank was breached, evidence from the fuel filter housing and remaining fuel in the tank confirmed that fuel exhaustion was not the cause of the incident.
Investigators noted that the pilot did not follow a descent path toward the airport, which would have involved a left turn toward the functioning engine. Additionally, the pilot's communication device remained active with emails sent as late as 03:23, and an alarm was noted at 09:20. The extent to which pilot fatigue contributed to the loss of control remains undetermined.