Preliminary report released on small plane crash off coast that killed 6
A Coast Guard MH- Jayhawk File photo courtesy dcms uscg mil A light aircraft that crashed off Point Loma a month ago killing all six people aboard abruptly descended hundreds of feet for unknown reasons and then climbed back up almost as far before plunging into the ocean according to a preliminary accident document disclosed Tuesday The pilot of the twin-engine Cessna A -year-old Landon Baldwin of Pima Arizona radioed just prior to the June crash that he was having trouble keeping the plane on a controlled heading and getting it to gain altitude the National Transportation Safety Board document states Minutes later at about p m the business plane went down into the sea about two miles west of Point Loma according to the NTSB The analysis does not include a ruling on the cause of the crash The casualties bodies and the majority of the wreckage of the plane remain missing according to the federal agency Also killed in the accident were Baldwin s pregnant -year-old wife Torrie fellow Arizona resident Jeremy Bingham and Bingham s sons Ayden Bailey and Gavin Landon Baldwin who had flown the group to California from Arizona on June had just taken off with them from San Diego International Airport en trail back to Phoenix when he began having difficulty controlling the aircraft Minutes earlier as the plane traveled over the coastline of San Diego an air-traffic controller instructed Baldwin to make a -degree left turn the leadership analysis states The Cessna began a gradual turn and after climbing to about feet it made a sudden steep descent to about feet The controller issued the pilot a low-altitude alert and instructed him to climb to feet this instant to which Baldwin replied by repeating the instructions The controller then sought Baldwin if he needed assistance and questioned him what was the nature of the trouble and Baldwin replied that he was struggling to control the airplane In response the controller recounted him the closest airport was about a mile away and inquired Baldwin if he could see it Baldwin answered that he could not and as the aircraft made a series of erratic maneuvers issued several mayday calls the analysis states A video camera on the ground captured images of the airplane descending then climbing to roughly feet and flying into a layer of the clouds where it disappeared from view A short time later the crew of a police helicopter flying about miles east of the accident site received a request to search for any signs of an airplane hitting the water near where the Cessna had vanished Upon reaching the area they spotted an oil slick in the water Search crews located scattered wreckage of the aircraft floating in a spot where the water is about feet deep Late on the morning of June the Coast Guard ended its search for the sufferers bodies pending further developments Also participating in the recovery operations which took place over about square miles for roughly hours were Customs and Territory line Protection Air and Marine Operations the San Diego Harbor Police Department and city lifeguards A pilot who regularly flew the Cessna and was a friend of Baldwin s explained investigators that he had flown about hours with him and accompanied him on four airport approaches in simulated instrument meteorological conditions according to the NTSB document He noted that Baldwin had expressed several nervousness about the busy Southern California airspace but appeared to be proficient during their review of the San Diego departure procedure the statement states A fundraising campaign has been set up for the Bingham family to help with expenses including efforts to recover the casualties bodies Donations can be made online here
