Cessna 172N accident near La Jolla, California, November 24, 1997
On November 24, 1997 at about 9:52 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6463D, was destroyed in an accident near La Jolla, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's act of suicide by intentionally diving his aircraft into the ocean.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1997 · about 9:52 pm local time
- Place
- La Jolla, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6463D · no longer on the register · serial 17272814
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,550 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,814 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 1997; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF CA at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MYF, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.