What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the day of the accident the pilot filed an IFR flight plan on his ipad through foreflight. He phoned CFI because he wasn’t sure about the procedure. Clearance cleared to phoenix airport via the border 7 departure, ipl transition, V66, gbn V95 pxr direct. Climb and maintain 130, departure frequency 119.6, squawk 2421. Pilot departed ksan IFR on the border 7 departure. Reported weather: visibility 10 sm, ceiling ovc 1,500’. Pilot was advised to switch to socal departure. Pilot contacts ATC and states altitude is 1,200 (radar data shows the aircraft at 700’). Pilot was instructed to turn left to 180. Radar shows the aircraft turning to 180 but stopped its climb at 1,700’. Aircraft maintained a 180 heading at 1,700’ for approx. 1.6 NM. Aircraft is shown to resume climb at 1,700’ at 142 knots on approximate heading of 180. Aircraft is shown making a short climbing left turn to 2,200’ at 93 knots on approx. heading 111. Aircraft appears to continue to steepen it’s turn resulting in a rapid descent to a low altitude. Aircraft is seen at 150’ and 235 knots on approx. heading 224, before pulling up and climbing back into the clouds. ATC received a low altitude alert for the aircraft and questioned the pilot about current altitude. Pilot responded they were at 1,000’. ATC advised pilot to climb and maintain 4,000 immediately. Pilot replies with climb 1,000 immediately. Socal asks the pilot “are you doing ok there' do you need any assistance'” the pilot immediately replies with “affirmative, if I can get it”. Socal asks the pilot “what seems to be the issue'” the pilot replies “I’m just struggling right now to maintain heading and climb.” socal queries “you’re struggling to maintain altitude and heading'” “maintain as high as you can for now, at least 2 thousand.” the pilot replies with “maintain above 2,000.” at this point the aircraft had established another rapid climb and begun another left turn. Aircraft is reported at 1,600’ and 113 knots on approx. heading 152. ATC attempted vector to knzy. Aircraft is reported at 1800’ and 95 knots on approx. heading 111. The aircraft is shown to descending through 1,500’ at 106 knots on approx heading 028. Aircraft is reported at 830’ and at 153 knots on approx. heading 290. Aircraft is shown climbing again on a westerly heading. ATC continued to try and vector the aircraft to knzy. The aircraft is reported at 1’900’ and 61 knots on approx. heading 294. The pilot declares “mayday, mayday, mayday” on socal freq. At that time aircraft is reported at 1,600’ and 66 knots on approx. heading 329. The aircraft is last seen at 500’, 116 knots on approx. heading 256.
Aircraft is submerged in 200' of water and has not been recovered. This report may be ammended should additional information become available.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN ON HIS IPAD THROUGH FOREFLIGHT. HE PHONED CFI BECAUSE HE WASN’T SURE ABOUT THE PROCEDURE. CLEARANCE CLEARED TO PHOENIX AIRPORT VIA THE BORDER 7 DEPARTURE, IPL TRANSITION, V66, GBN V95 PXR DIRECT. CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 130, DEPARTURE FREQUENCY 119.6, SQUAWK 2421. PILOT DEPARTED KSAN IFR ON THE BORDER 7 DEPARTURE. REPORTED WEATHER: VISIBILITY 10 SM, CEILING OVC 1,500’. PILOT WAS ADVISED TO SWITCH TO SOCAL DEPARTURE. PILOT CONTACTS ATC AND STATES ALTITUDE IS 1,200 (RADAR DATA SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT AT 700’). PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT TO 180. RADAR SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT TURNING TO 180 BUT STOPPED ITS CLIMB AT 1,700’. AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED A 180 HEADING AT 1,700’ FOR APPROX. 1.6 NM. AIRCRAFT IS SHOWN TO RESUME CLIMB AT 1,700’ AT 142 KNOTS ON APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 180. AIRCRAFT IS SHOWN MAKING A SHORT CLIMBING LEFT TURN TO 2,200’ AT 93 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 111. AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO CONTINUE TO STEEPEN IT’S TURN RESULTING IN A RAPID DESCENT TO A LOW ALTITUDE. AIRCRAFT IS SEEN AT 150’ AND 235 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 224, BEFORE PULLING UP AND CLIMBING BACK INTO THE CLOUDS. ATC RECEIVED A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT FOR THE AIRCRAFT AND QUESTIONED THE PILOT ABOUT CURRENT ALTITUDE. PILOT RESPONDED THEY WERE AT 1,000’. ATC ADVISED PILOT TO CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 4,000 IMMEDIATELY. PILOT REPLIES WITH CLIMB 1,000 IMMEDIATELY. SOCAL ASKS THE PILOT “ARE YOU DOING OK THERE' DO YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE'” THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY REPLIES WITH “AFFIRMATIVE, IF I CAN GET IT”. SOCAL ASKS THE PILOT “WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE ISSUE'” THE PILOT REPLIES “I’M JUST STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW TO MAINTAIN HEADING AND CLIMB.” SOCAL QUERIES “YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND HEADING'” “MAINTAIN AS HIGH AS YOU CAN FOR NOW, AT LEAST 2 THOUSAND.” THE PILOT REPLIES WITH “MAINTAIN ABOVE 2,000.” AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ESTABLISHED ANOTHER RAPID CLIMB AND BEGUN ANOTHER LEFT TURN. AIRCRAFT IS REPORTED AT 1,600’ AND 113 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 152. ATC ATTEMPTED VECTOR TO KNZY. AIRCRAFT IS REPORTED AT 1800’ AND 95 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 111. THE AIRCRAFT IS SHOWN TO DESCENDING THROUGH 1,500’ AT 106 KNOTS ON APPROX HEADING 028. AIRCRAFT IS REPORTED AT 830’ AND AT 153 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 290. AIRCRAFT IS SHOWN CLIMBING AGAIN ON A WESTERLY HEADING. ATC CONTINUED TO TRY AND VECTOR THE AIRCRAFT TO KNZY. THE AIRCRAFT IS REPORTED AT 1’900’ AND 61 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 294. THE PILOT DECLARES “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY” ON SOCAL FREQ. AT THAT TIME AIRCRAFT IS REPORTED AT 1,600’ AND 66 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 329. THE AIRCRAFT IS LAST SEEN AT 500’, 116 KNOTS ON APPROX. HEADING 256.
AIRCRAFT IS SUBMERGED IN 200' OF WATER AND HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED. THIS REPORT MAY BE AMMENDED SHOULD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N414BA · 1
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