NTSB Reports Pilot Struggled Before California Plane Crash Killing Six

A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on the June 8 crash of a twin-engine Cessna 414A off the San Diego coast revealed that pilot Landon Baldwin had expressed nervousness about flying in busy Southern California airspace and had conducted practice instrument approaches two days prior in Arizona. The report detailed that shortly after takeoff, the plane climbed to about 2,000 feet but then made a steep descent to 200 feet, prompting an air traffic controller to issue a low-altitude alert and instruct Baldwin to climb to 4,000 feet. Baldwin reported struggling to maintain heading and climb, could not see the nearest airport about a mile away, and made erratic maneuvers before issuing multiple mayday calls. All six aboard, including Baldwin, his pregnant wife, and four members of the Bingham family from Arizona, were killed when the plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Despite the pilot’s reported proficiency during prior practice flights with a safety pilot, the cause of the sudden loss of control remains undetermined, and much of the wreckage and victims' bodies have not been recovered. The tragedy follows a trip from Phoenix to San Diego the previous day, with the ill-fated flight intended to return the group to Arizona.