A tragic accident unfolded off the coast of Southern California when a small twin-engine plane crashed into the ocean shortly after taking off from San Diego en route to Phoenix. The Cessna 414, with six people on board, lost contact with air traffic control just minutes after departure.
In a chilling final radio transmission, the pilot reported trouble maintaining altitude and issued a desperate “Mayday” call. Despite urgent instructions from controllers to climb and divert, the plane could not be stabilized.
The aircraft went down roughly five miles off Sunset Cliffs, where search crews later discovered floating debris and an oil slick. Rescue divers were deployed but had to halt recovery efforts due to the extreme ocean depth—over 200 feet. Tragically, all six people on board are presumed dead, with no survivors found at the crash site.
