What happened
During the final approach to Fort Lauderdale, the flight crew encountered significant mechanical issues involving both engines. The right engine experienced an overspeed condition, while the left engine began to overheat. In an attempt to manage the situation, the crew proceeded to shut down the left engine and attempted to feather the propeller.
Despite these efforts, the aircraft was unable to sustain a safe altitude. Consequently, the captain performed an emergency ditching in offshore waters. While the three occupants were successfully rescued from the scene, the aircraft subsequently sank to the bottom of the sea and remains unrecovered.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified powerplant failure as the primary driver of the accident. Specific technical issues included:
- The right engine propeller and associated accessories experienced an uncontrollable overspeed, with RPM levels exceeding 3,000.
- The left engine suffered from overheating which led to a total loss of power.
- The inability to maintain altitude following these simultaneous failures necessitated the ditching.