What happened
During a standard flight operation, the aircraft's left engine experienced an intense fire. The combustion was severe enough that the engine eventually separated from the wing while the plane was still airborne. Following this mechanical failure, the crew initiated an emergency diversion toward China Lake AFB to attempt an unplanned landing.
As the aircraft approached the airfield, the pilot-in-command performed a crash landing within a desert area. Although the impact resulted in the total loss of the aircraft, there were no fatalities or injuries reported among the occupants.
Findings
Investigation into the incident determined that the primary factor was an engine fire on the left side of the aircraft, which led to the engine detaching from its mount during flight.