SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A Cessna aircraft heading to Arizona crashed into the ocean minutes after taking off from San Diego International Airport Sunday afternoon, with all six people on board presumed dead.
Flight recordings reveal the final moments as air traffic controllers attempted to guide the troubled aircraft to safety.
WATCH: Hear the audio for yourself in this report by ABC 10News' Dani Miskell
"Bravo Alpha, the closest airport I can get you to is North Island Airport, which is off less than 1 mile. Do you see that?" an air traffic controller can be heard saying in recordings obtained from LiveATC.net.
"Mayday Mayday Mayday!" were the pilot's final words before contact was lost.
The aircraft, identified as a Cessna with tail number N414BA, carried six people, including the pilot. Authorities have not yet released the identities of those on board.
The Coast Guard said it suspended its search for the passengers at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Guardsmen and other agencies covered 300 square miles during the 35 hours of searching.
Lt. Cmdr Justin Brooks says the decision to suspend a search is "never an easy one."
"We appreciate the work of our partners throughout the search efforts, and our hearts are with the loved ones of those involved in the crash," he says,
Robert Katz, a commercial pilot and flight instructor with 43 years of experience, analyzed the flight data and believes the pilot experienced spatial disorientation.
"What we can see here under the rate column is rate of climb and rate of descent, showing a very erratic movement of pitch of the airplane, and under the course column, we can see it's moving in all different directions. This is indicative of a pilot who is spatially disoriented," Katz said.
According to Katz, spatial disorientation is similar to experiencing vertigo, and the flight data shows clear signs of an aircraft out of control.
"Turns east, southwest, south, south, southeast, west, northwest, east. This is an airplane that's now out of control," Katz said.
Katz noted that the cockpit appeared to have the proper equipment, which will be important for the National Transportation Safety Board to weigh in as it continues its investigation into the cause of the crash.
The Cessna was registered to Optimal Health Systems, an Arizona-based vitamin shop. The company has issued a statement saying they sold the plane to private individuals two years ago, but were familiar with several passengers who were on board.
The people onboard were believed to be residents from Arizona.
The following rescue crews participated in the search:
- Coast Guard Air Station Ventura MH-60 Jayhawk air crew
- Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan air crew
- Coast Guard Cutter Sea Otter crew
- Coast Guard Station San Diego 45-foot RB-M crew
- Coast Guard Maritime Safety & Security Team 29-foot RB-S crew
- Customs & Border Protection Air & Marine Operations crews
- San Diego Harbor Police boat crews
- San Diego Lifeguards
