A small plane carrying 6 people crashed on the coast of San Diego, California in the United States, authorities are conducting search and rescue operations, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has intervened to investigate the cause of the crash.
On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States stated that a twin-engine Cessna 414 plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean about three miles west of San Diego around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The identities of the passengers onboard, including the pilot, are currently unknown. NTSB has not yet released more detailed investigation information.
Coast Guard officials in the United States stated that search and rescue personnel found debris near Point Loma on the coast about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away from San Diego, with the search area having a water depth of about 200 feet (61 meters).
According to records from the flight tracking website FlightAware, the plane took off from San Diego International Airport bound for Phoenix, Arizona, and crashed into the Pacific Ocean just 15 minutes after takeoff.
Recordings of conversations between the pilot and air traffic controllers archived on LiveATC.net show that the plane was flying at an altitude of about 1000 feet before crashing into the sea. The controller instructed the pilot to climb to 4000 feet, but the pilot responded that it was difficult to maintain the altitude. The controller then suggested the plane land at North Island Naval Air Station, but shortly after, the pilot issued a distress “Mayday” signal when facing a life-threatening emergency, after which the controller lost radar contact.
At the time of the crash, a man surfing told NBC7 San Diego that he saw the plane descending at an angle, then climbing back into the clouds, before descending again and hitting the water.
Reported by FOX 5 San Diego, FAA records show that the over 50-year-old plane was registered under the name of Optimal Health Systems, a nutritional supplement company based in Arizona.
The company’s founder, Doug Grant, stated in a release that the plane was sold to a private buyer in 2023, with the transaction only recently completed, as the ownership change had not been updated in federal records.
Grant mentioned that he “knew some of the passengers onboard”, expressing condolences to those affected by the tragedy. He said, “Our hearts are with them and their loved ones. We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims and their families once again.”
CNN reported on Monday that all 6 passengers onboard have died. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were not particularly severe, with visibility at 10 miles, wind speeds around 8 miles per hour from the northwest, with no gusts. According to CNN meteorologists, there was a thick layer of clouds at around 1500 feet at the time.
Just three weeks before this incident, a small Cessna plane crashed in a residential area of San Diego in foggy weather, resulting in the death of six people.
Additionally, on Sunday, a plane crashed in Coffee County, about 60 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee.