ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 41949
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| Date: | Monday 24 November 1997 |
| Time: | 14:52 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 172N |
| Owner/operator: | Richard Jones |
| Registration: | N6463D |
| MSN: | 17272814 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4814 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-H2AD |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | La Jolla, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | , CA (KMYF) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
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 coroner reported finding evidence of advanced coronary artery disease and a previous heart attack. He ruled the death as suicide.
Probable Cause: the pilot's act of suicide by intentionally diving his aircraft into the ocean.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX98FA043
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 11:47 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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