Cessna 414 Went Down After Pilot “Struggled” For Altitude

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for a Cessna 414 that went down with 6 people aboard about three miles west of Point Loma, California, at 10 am on June 10 after conducting a grid search of more than 300 square miles over 35 combined hours.

The pilot of the twin-engine aircraft had just taken off from San Diego International Airport (SAN) bound for Phoenix when he reported “just struggling” to maintain altitude, according to a controller at SAN.

The conversation between the pilot and controller indicated the aircraft was at 1,000 feet when the controller advised the pilot to climb and maintain 4,000 feet. The controller also suggested the pilot try to land at Naval Air Station North Island, the closest airport.

A recording on LiveATC.net indicated the pilot’s last transmission was, “Mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday!” The NTSB is on the scene conducting an investigation.

The FAA said the aircraft went into the ocean off Sunset Cliffs at about 12:30 pm on Sunday June 9, and several boats nearby reported seeing a large splash. San Diego lifeguards rushed to the area, where they found debris from the aircraft and a sheen of oil.

Coast Guard personnel at the Joint Harbor Operations Center in San Diego received the report and pinpointed the crash site at about three miles west of Point Loma. Since this is in deep water of more than 200 feet, Coast Guard Crew members took the lead in the search, which eventually involved two aircraft and six water-based partners.

Lt. Cmdr. Justin Brooks, a search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Sector San Diego, released a statement saying, “The decision to suspend a search is never an easy one. We appreciate the work of our partners throughout the search efforts, and our hearts are with the loved ones of those involved in the crash.”

Coast Guard spokesperson said, “They are still unaccounted for,” referring to the six victims presumed to have perished.

The names of the victims have not been released, but a spokesperson for a nutritional supplement company in Pima, Arizona, said they were members of their small community in eastern Arizona.

FMI:  www.news.uscg.mil/