What happened
Prior to the flight, the pilot completed refueling for the aircraft type. The flight proceeded without incident for roughly 30 minutes. While operating under night visual meteorological conditions, the aircraft descended to 2,000 feet as it prepared for an approach to its destination. Approximately 30 seconds after receiving clearance for a visual approach, the pilot notified air traffic control of an emergency and requested guidance to the closest available airport. After receiving vectors and distance information for a diversion, the pilot reported that the engine had failed. The aircraft subsequently struck wooded terrain located approximately 4 miles northeast of runway 22 at the alternate airfield.
Findings
Following the impact, a fire broke out and destroyed much of the wreckage. A detailed inspection of the aircraft, including a teardown of the engine, showed no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the crash. However, investigators were unable to perform tests on the ignition or fuel systems because those components were destroyed by the post-crash fire. The investigation could not definitively determine the cause of the engine failure due to the extent of the fire damage.