The Cessna 414 aircraft departed from San Diego and was on its way to Phoenix, Arizona. Credit: ShutterStock
A small plane crashed into the sea off San Diego on Sunday, with all six on board.
The twin-engine Cessna 414 fell just minutes after taking off around 12:30pm.
The plane had just left San Diego and headed to Phoenix, Arizona.
It reportedly flew to California the day before. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the aircraft were previously owned by an optimal healthcare system, but the company said it was sold to individuals in 2023.
The pilot reported the trouble just before the impact
At the moment before the crash, the pilot contacted air traffic control and reported that headlines and altitude were difficult to maintain.
He went up to 4,000 feet and was urged to land at a nearby naval airport, but replied that he could not find the runway. The final submission included multiple “mayday” calls before all contacts were lost. In aviation, “Mayday” is an internationally recognized pain signal used by pilots to indicate life-threatening circumstances.
Flight tracking data showed the aircraft would turn twice towards the coast before returning to the sea. Authorities have not yet decided what caused the crash.
Ongoing Search and Recovery Efforts
A team of the Coast Guard found a debris field about 8km offshore, in a water body that is about 200 feet deep.
The search included helicopters, boats and aircraft, which continued into Sunday evening.
Doug Grant, founder of Optimal Health Systems, expressed his sincere adolescent dol, who personally knows some of the victims and is “an incredible member of our small community.”
Witness explains the final moment
Surfer Tyson Whislovsky said NBC Los Angeles He saw the plane descend diagonally before it disappeared into the water.
“After seeing this splash, about six seconds later, it was silent. I knew they first got inside their nose and went at high speed,” he said.
The FAA and the National Traffic Safety Commission have launched an investigation. The incident marks the crash of a second deadly small aircraft near San Diego within a month.
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