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Cessna 172 Skyhawk
Pescadero, California/Injuries: 1 Fatal
Radar data showed that the pilot took off around dusk and flew over the ocean, tracing the coastline for around 20 miles before the radar contact was lost about 3 miles out to sea. Several people in a campsite overlooking the ocean witnessed an aircraft crashing into the water a few miles off the coast. They promptly notified the law enforcement, who then alerted the US Coast Guard (USCG). Since there were no reported missing or distressed aircraft in the area, the USCG didn’t initiate a physical search of the reported impact site at that time.
The airplane was leased by a flying club, and it was discovered missing the following day when a club member who was supposed to fly it couldn’t locate it. A USCG search several days later in the area of the last radar contact didn’t uncover any evidence of the missing airplane or the pilot.
According to the president of the flying club, the pilot wasn’t authorized to fly any of the club airplanes solo at the time of his disappearance, although he had been previously. So far, there haven’t been any subsequent traces of either the missing pilot or the airplane. The airplane is presumed to have been destroyed by the impact in the ocean, and the pilot is presumed to have suffered fatal injuries.
Probable cause(s): Impact with the ocean due to reasons that couldn’t be determined as the airplane couldn’t be located.
Note: The report reproduced here is from the NTSB and is presented verbatim and in its complete form.
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