Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in the Pacific Ocean: 2 killed

The aircraft departed Oakland, CA at 1733 PST on a night flight to Honolulu, HI. The flight proceeded without incident until approximately 0050 PST when the pilot advised that the left engine was slowly losing oil pressure. At that time, the aircraft was at an altitude of 6,000 feet. At 0205, the pilot reported he shut down the engine and was unable to maintain 6000 feet. A descent was started. In his last transmission at 0228 PST, the pilot reported that he was at 500 feet, barely maintaining altitude. Radio contact was lost when the aircraft was approximately 500 miles east of Honolulu. At 1559, the crew of a search aircraft sighted floating debris and one body floating in that area. A marker buoy was deployed, but no recovery was accomplish. The aircraft was presumed to have been destroyed and both occupants were presumed to have been fatally injured. The aircraft crashed in moderate sea conditions with waves heights estimated at three to five feet.