Accident Overview
A single-engine aircraft was destroyed following an uncontrolled descent into the Pacific Ocean approximately 14 miles west-southwest of El Segundo, California. The pilot was presumed to have been fatally injured. The accident occurred during a positioning flight that originated at Oxnard, California, and was destined for San Diego, California. Visual meteorological conditions were reported in the accident area about 1.5 hours after the event.
Flight Details
No flight plan was filed for the positioning flight, which departed Oxnard on a special VFR clearance on the morning of the accident. The tops of clouds in the area were reported to be around 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl). The aircraft transitioned southbound through the NAWS Point Mugu airspace and was monitored by Point Mugu radar approach control for approximately 25 miles. The pilot was subsequently instructed to change frequency to SOCAL Tracon, but no contact was made with that facility.
Radar and Search
A search was initiated when the aircraft failed to arrive at its intended destination. Review of recorded radar data revealed that the aircraft had been maintaining level flight at 1,800 feet msl before climbing to about 2,000 feet msl. At that point, the aircraft disappeared from radar coverage. The search efforts located the wreckage in the ocean.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the accident was loss of control for undetermined reasons.