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19971124034859A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · San Diego, CA · November 24, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 24, 1997 · 13:52 local
Place
San Diego, CA
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N6463D
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98FA043
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Reported engine
Lycoming O320H2AD
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
5,550 total
N6463DRegistration cancelled Apr 30, 2013 · Cessna 172NS/N 17272814 · Built 1979Airframe modelCessna 172NEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Acft crased und unk circ shortly after takeoff, pilot suffered fatal inj, San Diego, CA. (.4)the tower was tracking radar returns believed to be from the accident aircraft. The track continued north to a point west of the coastline. The altitude returns indicated 3,000 feet, a descent to 1,500 feet, then back to 1,800 feet before radar contact was lost. A lifeguard reported seeing an aircraft complete a loop, level off, and then nose over in a dive until the crashing into the ocean. The pilot's girlfriend contacted the operator asking if the pilot had taken off and expressed concern about a possible attempted suicide. The operator contacted the tower, but the aircraft had already departed. A friend of the pilot reported that he had been despondent recently about the death of his mother and his deteriorating health. The pilot left a hand written will dated the day before the accident. The coronor reported finding evidence of advanced coronary artery disease and a previous heart attack. He ruled the death as suicide.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT CRASED UND UNK CIRC SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJ, SAN DIEGO, CA. (.4)THE TOWER WAS TRACKING RADAR RETURNS BELIEVED TO BE FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. THE TRACK CONTINUED NORTH TO A POINT WEST OF THE COASTLINE. THE ALTITUDE RETURNS INDICATED 3,000 FEET, A DESCENT TO 1,500 FEET, THEN BACK TO 1,800 FEET BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. A LIFEGUARD REPORTED SEEING AN AIRCRAFT COMPLETE A LOOP, LEVEL OFF, AND THEN NOSE OVER IN A DIVE UNTIL THE CRASHING INTO THE OCEAN. THE PILOT'S GIRLFRIEND CONTACTED THE OPERATOR ASKING IF THE PILOT HAD TAKEN OFF AND EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT A POSSIBLE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. THE OPERATOR CONTACTED THE TOWER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ALREADY DEPARTED. A FRIEND OF THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN DESPONDENT RECENTLY ABOUT THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER AND HIS DETERIORATING HEALTH. THE PILOT LEFT A HAND WRITTEN WILL DATED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE CORONOR REPORTED FINDING EVIDENCE OF ADVANCED CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND A PREVIOUS HEART ATTACK. HE RULED THE DEATH AS SUICIDE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98FA043Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportLa Jolla, CAthe pilot's act of suicide by intentionally diving his aircraft into the ocean.Nov 24, 1997 · Destroyed

Other reports on N6463D · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19920722035999IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Glen Canyon Nat, UTA german national pilot made a precautionary landing at a closed airport due to weather.Jul 22, 1992