N103AFBeech G18S · 1960

***This report was modified on 6/2/2020. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.***

The pilot of the twin engine airplane and the pilot rated passenger reported that during a missed approach in instrument meteorological conditions, at 2,000 ft mean sea level, the right engine seized. The pilot attempted to feather the right engine by pulling the propeller control to the feather position; however, the engine did not feather. The airplane would not maintain level flight, so the pilot navigated over the water toward a known airport in front of the airplane and the passenger made emergency communications with air traffic control. The pilot was unable to maintain visual reference with the ground until the airplane descended through about 100 to 200 ft and the visibility was 1 statute mile. The pilot stated that he was forced to ditch the airplane in the water about 5 miles short of the airport and that the nose of the airplane separated from the fuselage during impact. The pilot and the passenger egressed the airplane and swam ashore before it sank in about 89 ft of water. Both the pilot and passenger reported that there was post impact fire on the surface of the water.

The airplane was not recovered which precluded a postaccident examination.