Pilot Reported Killed

Just moments after issuing a "Mayday" call for help, authorities near San Diego (CA) say a BD-10 crashed in the ocean. The experimental jet crashed in the Pacific a few miles from the San Onofre nuclear power plant Friday, just moments after taking off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Frank Everett's BD-10, N7FF, in the hanger. With solemn thanks to Frank's friend, Dave Fawcett.

Debris Field Found Off CA Coast

A San Diego television station broadcast a shot of the BD-10's tail underwater and reported a "debris field" and an oil slick at the scene. Authorities said the aircraft apparently broke up in the water after it crashed.

According to sheriff's Lt. Phil Johnson, Sheriff's Harbor Patrol deputies were dispatched to a site 5.6 miles off Dana Point Harbor at 4:33 p.m. Friday. A John Wayne Airport air traffic controller reported that the pilot had made a mayday call. After that, the controller said, there was no further communication with the aircraft.

Soon after, at 5:10 p.m., the body of a man, believed to be the only person aboard the aircraft, was recovered, Johnson said. A local news station reported that the plane was registered to a "Laguna" man. Records show that the airplane, a BD-10, was registered to Frank Everett, 53, of Laguna Beach.

"He was an incredible guy," said one friend of Everett. "He had a wife and child. He hung with Jim Bede (the BD-10's controversial designer) through thick and thin. It was Frank who loaned Bede his J-85 (engine) to use in the (BD-10) prototype."

"Mayday"... Then Nothing

The plane was en route from John Wayne Airport in Costa Mesa to Catalina Island, according to Mike Fergus of the Federal Aviation Administration office in Seattle.

Fergus said that the plane took off at 4:09 p.m. Friday and crashed about 4:30 p.m. He said there was no emergency locator transmitter aboard. Fergus identified the plane as a BD-10. He said the pilot took off under visual flight rules.

Johnson said that a U.S. Coast Guard cutter out of San Diego was sent to the scene to recover wreckage.

Fergus said the NTSB will be undertaking a crash investigation.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov