Six dead in San Diego plane crash

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    A tragic plane crash unfolded off the coast of San Diego, claiming the lives of all six individuals on board, according to a statement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday. The unfortunate incident involved a twin-engine Cessna 414, which crashed around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The aircraft was en route back to Phoenix after originating from Arizona, as confirmed by flight data from a tracking website.

    Search efforts led by the U.S. Coast Guard identified debris approximately 3 miles (about 5 kilometers) offshore from Point Loma, a coastal neighborhood extending into the Pacific Ocean. The depth of the water in the search zone was reported to be about 200 feet (61 meters). Although the FAA indicated that there were no survivors among the six people aboard, official identifications have not been disclosed.

    The plane was registered under the ownership of Optimal Health Systems, an organization specializing in vitamins and nutritional supplements. However, the company, situated in Pima, Arizona, issued a statement clarifying that they had sold the aircraft to a group of private buyers in 2023, suggesting that the FAA’s records might be outdated. Doug Grant, founder of the company, expressed his condolences, acknowledging their personal connections with several passengers, and highlighting their integral role within the community.

    Inquiries about the aircraft’s ownership were directed to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has yet to provide additional insights regarding the incident. Audio recordings available on an aviation communication website revealed that the pilot was encountering difficulty in controlling the plane’s heading and altitude. Despite attempts to steer the plane towards shore, it eventually veered back to sea. Air traffic control urged the pilot to reach an altitude of 4,000 feet, as the aircraft was precariously flying at about 1,000 feet.

    The pilot was instructed to aim for a landing at a nearby naval airport on Coronado Island, but he reported that the airport was not visible. Shortly after, tragic signals of a “Mayday” distress call were issued before radar contact was lost.

    A surfer who witnessed the crash described the plane emerging from the clouds at a sharp angle, briefly ascending, then descending rapidly into the ocean with a sudden loud splash, followed by silence. “The plane plunged nose-first,” recounted Tyson Wislofsky in remarks to a local news outlet.

    This unfortunate crash follows another recent aviation tragedy where a small Cessna aircraft crashed amidst foggy conditions in a San Diego neighborhood, resulting in six fatalities.