Presumed lost at sea. The same phenomenon repeated itself in 1978 and 1982. Other disappearances have happened after briefly clutching safety. Such as a Twin Otter , which broke out of approach twice before it vanished on its last circumference of St. Vincent. Many of these pilots were charter captains with thousands of hours flight experience.
Pilot error seems far removed.
Other seasoned pilots, who often have searched for the missing, are equally at a loss to explain such sudden loss, especially when it is without trace and so close to land . It is an electronic device that jettisons from an aircraft when it impacts. Dozens have carried these handy devices, yet not one has ever left even this electronic SOS behind. Yet everything is wrong in these losses. They should have left a trace, at least something, some signal, some shred of evidence. . .