The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary report on the June 8 crash of a Cessna 414A that killed all six people on board. Investigators noted that the pilot reported control difficulties and made several mayday calls before radar contact was lost.
The twin-engine aircraft, registered as N414BA, was on a business flight returning to Phoenix, Arizona, when it went down roughly two miles offshore near Point Loma in San Diego, California.
According to the report, the pilot checked in with SOCAL Departure after takeoff at 1,600 feet and was instructed to make a left 180-degree turn. The airplane briefly climbed to around 2,000 feet before entering a steep, uncontrolled descent to 200 feet. Air traffic controllers issued a low altitude alert and directed the pilot to climb to 4,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged but reported he was “struggling” to maintain both heading and altitude.
Controllers advised the pilot of a nearby airport just one mile away, but he said he could not see it. Witnesses described hearing erratic radio transmissions, including multiple mayday calls, before the airplane disappeared from radar.
Weather conditions at the time included overcast skies with ceilings reported around 1,000 feet, limiting visibility.
A fellow pilot and friend of the accident pilot told investigators that the pilot was familiar with the aircraft, having logged about 50 hours in the Cessna 414A. The airplane was not equipped with an autopilot or modern glass cockpit, meaning it required hand-flying throughout the flight. Just days before the crash, the pilot had practiced simulated instrument approaches with a safety pilot on board. While the friend noted the pilot expressed some nerves about operating in busy Southern California airspace, he described him as proficient and prepared.
The NTSB’s investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
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