What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Friday, March 6, 2009, Cessna 172, N726RJ, piloted by a private pilot, crashed into the pacific ocean 40 miles west of oceanside, California. The pilot-in-command, sole occupant of the aircraft, was fatally injured. Radar reports from us coast guard and so cal TRACON indicate the aircraft departed myf at 1148 PST northbound toward the coastline. The aircraft flew northbound to just south of huntington beach, California where it departed the coastline over the water and circled santa catalina island. Radar data indicates the aircraft decended from 13,600 feet to 800 feet in one minute, apparently crashing into the ocean after radar contact was lost at 1353 PST. Except for climb to cruise altitude and the rapid descent, radar data indicates the aircraft climbed to FL130-FL140 and was operating at altitudes between 13,000 and 14,000 ft MSL for approximately 2 consecutive hours of flight. The pilot requested and received a full weather briefing from prescott afss at 0807 PST. After being advised VFR was not recommended until afternoon, the pilot stated he would delay his departure and check back for updates. Pilot received no updates. Actual weather at the accident site is unknown.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2009, CESSNA 172, N726RJ, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, CRASHED INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN 40 MILES WEST OF OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. RADAR REPORTS FROM US COAST GUARD AND SO CAL TRACON INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MYF AT 1148 PST NORTHBOUND TOWARD THE COASTLINE. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW NORTHBOUND TO JUST SOUTH OF HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA WHERE IT DEPARTED THE COASTLINE OVER THE WATER AND CIRCLED SANTA CATALINA ISLAND. RADAR DATA INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT DECENDED FROM 13,600 FEET TO 800 FEET IN ONE MINUTE, APPARENTLY CRASHING INTO THE OCEAN AFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 1353 PST. EXCEPT FOR CLIMB TO CRUISE ALTITUDE AND THE RAPID DESCENT, RADAR DATA INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO FL130-FL140 AND WAS OPERATING AT ALTITUDES BETWEEN 13,000 AND 14,000 FT MSL FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 CONSECUTIVE HOURS OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING FROM PRESCOTT AFSS AT 0807 PST. AFTER BEING ADVISED VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL AFTERNOON, THE PILOT STATED HE WOULD DELAY HIS DEPARTURE AND CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES. PILOT RECEIVED NO UPDATES. ACTUAL WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE IS UNKNOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.