What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The portland Maine FSDO was notified by bgr ATC an aircraft (N5118J) was missing. N5118J had departed bgr for goose bay (cyyr) on an IFR flight plan in IMC weather after having extra fuel tanks installed for the ferry flight. Boston center and bgr ATC were notified by the 78 year old pilot of N5118J that he encountered severe turbulences and was getting heavy at approximately 5500 feet about 30 miles northeast of bangor Maine. Pilot turned back southwest toward bgr to land. While descending at approximately 2500' ATC attempted to give him an alternate landing site at old town airport. The pilot didn't respond. The crash site was located on the penobscot river on indian tribal land (olamon island) and there was no impact fire with the pilot becoming a fatality. No mechanical difficulties indicated at this time.
As the FAA filed it
THE PORTLAND MAINE FSDO WAS NOTIFIED BY BGR ATC AN AIRCRAFT (N5118J) WAS MISSING. N5118J HAD DEPARTED BGR FOR GOOSE BAY (CYYR) ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN IN IMC WEATHER AFTER HAVING EXTRA FUEL TANKS INSTALLED FOR THE FERRY FLIGHT. BOSTON CENTER AND BGR ATC WERE NOTIFIED BY THE 78 YEAR OLD PILOT OF N5118J THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCES AND WAS GETTING HEAVY AT APPROXIMATELY 5500 FEET ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF BANGOR MAINE. PILOT TURNED BACK SOUTHWEST TOWARD BGR TO LAND. WHILE DESCENDING AT APPROXIMATELY 2500' ATC ATTEMPTED TO GIVE HIM AN ALTERNATE LANDING SITE AT OLD TOWN AIRPORT. THE PILOT DIDN'T RESPOND. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED ON THE PENOBSCOT RIVER ON INDIAN TRIBAL LAND (OLAMON ISLAND) AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT FIRE WITH THE PILOT BECOMING A FATALITY. NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES INDICATED AT THIS TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.