If it was on takeoff, sure, but 45 miles from the destination in cruise? I'd doubt it.

I'm putting money on engine failure in an area with basically zero options for putting down.

...True...didn't really read too much into it, just saw that it was "shortly after takeoff". Knowing that the early details are put out by journalists, I should have realized that could have meant a multitude of things. If it occurred in cruise, w&b should not have an effect except for maybe some controllability issues if he was trying for an engine out ditch. (And you're right that the area didnt have many options) But we wont know the complete story for a while.

How about fuel starvation....no post impact fire and witnesses saying it sounded like the engine was cutting in and out.

If it was fuel starvation, wouldn't there still be a high probability of post impact fire since there would still be fuel in the tanks? I would think that fuel exhaustion would lead to that, but since it was after takeoff, I wouldn't think it would be that, unless there was a major leak.

The preliminary report is out. Says they were cruising at 7,000MSL according to radar and not in contact with ATC. The radar indicated a descending turn. The wreckage indicated a steep nose-down attitude. The pilot was 82.

Link: http://dms.ntsb.gov/aviation/Acciden...2011120000.pdf