What happened
During the cruise phase of flight, the pilot notified air traffic control regarding an engine malfunction. Following this notification, the crew received authorization to divert the flight to Red Bluff Airport to perform an emergency landing.
As the aircraft type approached Red Bluff-Bidel Field, the pilot encountered difficulties maintaining a safe altitude. Due to a loss of airspeed, the plane entered a stall and impacted a field situated several miles from the airfield. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused 2 fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the primary contributing factor was a powerplant failure for reasons that remain undetermined. Additionally, the flight crew was unable to sustain sufficient flying speed during the descent.