A devastating aviation accident occurred off the coast of San Diego on Sunday, as a small Cessna 414 plane crashed into the ocean, leading to the loss of all six individuals on board. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident, which transpired around three miles west of the southern California city at approximately 12:30 p.m., shortly after the plane had taken off.
The FAA announced on Monday that there were no survivors from the crash. Wreckage from the plane was found near the Point Loma neighborhood, in waters roughly 200 feet deep. Reports indicate that the aircraft plunged nose-first into the ocean, three miles from the city’s coastline.
Based on audio from Live ATC, the pilot had been in contact with air traffic controllers shortly after takeoff, indicating difficulty in gaining altitude. The pilot stated that the plane was only about 1,000 feet in the air, leading the controller to instruct him to climb to 4,000 feet. The controller then directed the pilot to land at a nearby US naval airport.
However, shortly after, the pilot issued several distress calls before radar contact was lost. A local surfer, Tyson Wislofsky, witnessed the crash, describing how the aircraft descended at an angle, ascended back into the clouds, and then dove again before crashing into the water. Wislofsky noted the eerie silence that followed the splash, suggesting the plane’s high-speed, nose-first impact.
At the time of the crash, the plane was on its way to Phoenix, Arizona, according to data from flight-tracking website Flightaware.com. The identities of the passengers have not yet been disclosed by authorities.
The aircraft was reportedly owned by Optimal Health Systems, an Arizona-based vitamin and nutritional supplement manufacturer. However, the company stated that it had sold the plane to a group of private individuals in 2023, some of whom were on board at the time of the crash. The company’s founder, Doug Grant, expressed his condolences to those affected by the tragedy, acknowledging that several of the passengers were known personally to him and were valued members of their small community.