What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Private/instrument pilot and two (2) female passengers departed mcclellan-palomar airport, Carlsbad, California (crq) at 1643Z, on an IFR flight plan to chandler, Arizona (chd). Pilot contacted socal TRACON delmar sector, was radar identified and issued a clearance to 6000FT, followed by a clearance to 5000FT and a 060 heading to jli. At 1646Z, radar/radio contact were lost. At approximately 1645Z, a fishing boat observed an aircraft descending from the overcast in a steep nose down attitude and impact the pacific ocean approximately 5 miles west of mcclellan-palomar airport. Subsequent search of ocean surface recovered two (2) female bodies. Aircraft wreckage submerged in approximately 300FT of water. Pilot and aircraft unrecovered. Recorded sct ATC communications were routine and normal. Pilot reported no difficulties or distress. Radar data reveals in the last 45 seconds of flight, the aircraft descended 1900 feet in a continuing left turn from 085 degrees to 233 degrees, accelerating from 132 KTS. To 192 KTS. Upon impact with the ocean surface.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)PRIVATE/INSTRUMENT PILOT AND TWO (2) FEMALE PASSENGERS DEPARTED MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR AIRPORT, CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA (CRQ) AT 1643Z, ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN TO CHANDLER, ARIZONA (CHD). PILOT CONTACTED SOCAL TRACON DELMAR SECTOR, WAS RADAR IDENTIFIED AND ISSUED A CLEARANCE TO 6000FT, FOLLOWED BY A CLEARANCE TO 5000FT AND A 060 HEADING TO JLI. AT 1646Z, RADAR/RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST. AT APPROXIMATELY 1645Z, A FISHING BOAT OBSERVED AN AIRCRAFT DESCENDING FROM THE OVERCAST IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND IMPACT THE PACIFIC OCEAN APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES WEST OF MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENT SEARCH OF OCEAN SURFACE RECOVERED TWO (2) FEMALE BODIES. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE SUBMERGED IN APPROXIMATELY 300FT OF WATER. PILOT AND AIRCRAFT UNRECOVERED. RECORDED SCT ATC COMMUNICATIONS WERE ROUTINE AND NORMAL. PILOT REPORTED NO DIFFICULTIES OR DISTRESS. RADAR DATA REVEALS IN THE LAST 45 SECONDS OF FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED 1900 FEET IN A CONTINUING LEFT TURN FROM 085 DEGREES TO 233 DEGREES, ACCELERATING FROM 132 KTS. TO 192 KTS. UPON IMPACT WITH THE OCEAN SURFACE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.