DCA86AA017

At 1146 gmt, N4906K deptd on a 5 hr flt to narssarssuaq, greenland with an estd 7 hrs of fuel. When the plt rprtd 60 mi sw of greenland, the destn vis was below IFR min & the ceiling at the altn arpt was below the mda. The plt elected to cont to reykjavik, iceland. Later, after he extended his ETA to reykjavik by more than 1 hr & indicated low fuel, ice- land officials bgn search/rescue procedures. USAF & iceland acft & ships were dispatched bfr the acft ran out of fuel. At 1811, fuel exhaustion occurred as the plt was dscndg fm 15,000'. A USAF C-130 crew rendezvoused with N4906K, lighted the ocean with flares & gave ditching advise. The plt ditched in hi seas aprx 36 mi west of Keflavik, iceland in winds gusting to 35 KTS. A USAF helicopter arrived 3 min later, but the occupants were never obsvd to emerge fm the downed acft. Rescue psnl lost sight of the acft at 1834. At that time, the sun was 6 deg blo the horizon. The ELT signal ceasedshortly thereafter. The occupants were presumed to have been fatally injured when the acft ditched/sank in the ocean.