Six people dead after plane crashes into the ocean off San Diego
The twin-engine Cessna 414 went down roughly 5km west of the southern California city at 12.30pm local time, shortly after take off, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA said everyone on board the doomed aircraft had been killed.
Debris from the crash was found near the Point Loma neighbourhood in water about 60 metres deep.
The pilot had told air traffic controllers he was struggling to climb in the moments after taking off, according to Live ATC audio.
The controller urged the pilot to climb to 4000 feet (1200m) after he reported the plane was only about 1000 feet (300m) in the air. The controller then directed him to land at a nearby US naval airport, according to the audio.
Moments later, the pilot repeatedly signalled the 'mayday' distress call before controllers lost radar contact.
A man who was out surfing when the plane went down told NBC 7 that he saw the aircraft plummet at an angle, then climb back into the clouds before diving again and crashing into the water.
'The next time he came out of the clouds, he went straight into the water. But after I saw this splash, about six seconds later, it was dead silent. I knew that they went in the water, nose first, at a high speed,' witness Tyson Wislofsky said.
The plane was en route to Phoenix, Arizona at the time, according to data from the flight-tracking website Flightaware.com.
The names of those on board weren't immediately released by authorities.
The plane was apparently owned by Arizona-based vitamin and nutritional supplement maker Optimal Health Systems.
But the company said it had sold the plane to a group of private individuals in 2023, although it knew some of those on board at the time of the crash.
'We personally know several of the passengers on-board and our sincerest condolences are offered to those affected by the tragedy, all of whom are incredible members of our small community,' the company's founder, Doug Grant, said in a statement.
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An NPS seasonal interpretation ranger leads a natural and cultural history discussion about the park in Glacier National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Rangers move dirt and unearth beaver tracks near an information exhibit in Glacier National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Invasive oxeye daisies are pulled from the shores of Lake McDonald at Glacier National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) An NPS seasonal interpretation ranger leads a fossil walk program in the Grand Canyon National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) It also means law enforcement staff are being moved to work in the visitor centre and forgoing other functions, she added. Mr Francis also pointed to the dangers of losing the more experienced park rangers. "Everybody is trying to be an asset — but it's not the same as someone who's been working there for 20 years." 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On August 23, Park Protectors across the country will take part in a nationwide one-day event organised by the NPCA, which they say will be a "national moment to show love for our parks and demand accountability for the devastating impacts threatening them". Demonstrations broke out across the country. ( Reuters: Yuri Avila ) "Something nature has taught me resonates in this moment: creatures together accomplish what lone ones can't," said Mr Wild.
