What happened
On December 24, 2009, a Piper Aztec PA-23-250, registration N248/84R, disappeared while flying from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida to Grenada in the Eastern Caribbean. The flight was intended to include a refueling stop in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.
During the flight, the pilot transmitted a distress message to Miami Center, reporting that the left engine had failed. Shortly thereafter, the right engine also failed. The pilot reported that the aircraft was being ditched in the waters near the Plana Cays in the southeast Bahamas.
Following the disappearance, the US Coast Guard initiated a search operation. Approximately 30 days after the accident, the remains of one occupant were discovered on Plana Cay and identified through forensic testing. The second occupant, the pilot, was not recovered.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by the Air Accident Investigation and Prevention Unit focused on the circumstances of the aircraft's disappearance. Because the aircraft was never located, investigators were unable to examine wreckage, assess impact conditions, or inspect the engines for mechanical failure.
Investigators established that the pilot was properly certified and qualified for the operation, and the aircraft was properly maintained and certificated. However, the investigation could not determine if the pilot had received a standard or abbreviated weather briefing prior to departure or during the flight.