A tragic crash of a twin-engine Cessna 414 near Point Loma, a peninsula in San Diego, claimed the lives of all six people aboard on Sunday afternoon. The small aircraft had departed from San Diego International Airport and was en route to Phoenix, Arizona.
Shortly after takeoff, pilot Landon Baldwin reported engine trouble in a distress call to air traffic control. Cockpit audio captured his voice as he attempted to return to land at North Island Navy Station. Despite being cleared to land, he issued a chilling “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” just minutes later.
Air traffic control urged Baldwin to climb to 4,000 feet after the plane hovered at only 1,000 feet above water. Moments later, contact was lost.
The U.S. Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation, locating the debris about five miles offshore. All six occupants perished in the crash. While full identities have not been released, it’s believed Baldwin’s wife, Tori Baldwin, was among the victims, along with a father and his three adult sons from Arizona.