Accident Overview
While on approach to Fort Lauderdale, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions characterized by storm activity and turbulence. The pilot contacted air traffic control and transmitted a brief message. Shortly thereafter, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea. The main wreckage was not recovered, nor were the six occupants. The aircraft was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) at the time of the accident, but was flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Circumstances
The pilot's communication with ATC was minimal, consisting only of a brief message before the loss of control. The exact sequence of events following the transmission is unknown. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted the water. No further communications were received from the flight.
Investigation Findings
The accident investigation determined that the exact cause of the incident could not be established with certainty. However, several findings were reported. These include the presence of thunderstorm activity in the area, the flight's use of a VFR flight plan despite encountering IMC, and the fact that the crash took place in a region of heavy thunderstorm activity. The combination of these factors was documented, but no specific causal link was identified.