What happened
While operating in the cruise phase of flight, the aircraft's right engine experienced a sudden drop in oil pressure. The pilot observed visible oil leaking from the engine compartment and subsequently performed an engine shutdown to mitigate further damage. Following the loss of power from one engine, the aircraft was unable to sustain its altitude because it was operating at a high gross weight.
As the flight could not continue on a single engine, the crew was forced to perform an emergency descent and ditch the aircraft in the ocean. The wreckage was not recovered following the incident. The pilot survived the event and was rescued approximately one day after the crash.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the primary mechanical issue was a loss of oil pressure within the right engine, though the specific reason for the leak remained undetermined. A significant contributing factor was that the aircraft's weight exceeded its single-engine climb capability, a condition caused by the heavy fuel load required for the overwater flight. The ditching occurred in rough water conditions.