What happened
During the descent phase toward Santa Ana Airport, the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure involving the left engine. This malfunction led to an active fire within the engine compartment. Despite the emergency situation, the crew managed to maintain control of the flight and proceed with the landing sequence.
The aircraft successfully touched down on the runway and came to a complete stop. Following the landing, all four occupants were able to exit the plane without injury. However, the intense heat from the engine fire caused the total destruction of the aircraft type during the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the event determined that the primary factor was an engine failure and subsequent fire occurring while the aircraft was on approach.