What happened
During a cross-country flight conducted under instrument meteorological conditions, the crew of the aircraft began experiencing an electrical malfunction. The two instrument-rated commercial pilots and one passenger reported the electrical issue to air traffic control during the flight. Following this report, the aircraft entered a descending right turn and struck wooded terrain at a high velocity. The force of the impact was so significant that most components of the aircraft were fragmented and became unidentifiable.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage and the cockpit voice recorder provided limited information regarding the specific nature of the electrical failure. While the exact systems affected by the malfunction could not be identified, it is possible that the flight instruments were compromised. The flight path of the aircraft, characterized by a descending turn prior to impact, is consistent with a system malfunction that likely caused the pilot to lose situational awareness or led to a loss of control while flying in instrument conditions.