Piper PA28R N4958J accident near Shelter Cove, California

Probable cause

Undetermined due to lack of available evidence.

NTSB analysis

A witness reported that the pilot and passenger departed in dark night conditions with no visible horizon. After takeoff, the airplane made a left turn. Flight track data first identified the airplane about 2.8 nautical miles southeast of the departure airport and over the ocean. The airplane was at an indicated altitude of about 3,325 ft mean sea level (msl) and was transmitting a beacon code of 1200. The airplane maneuvered and made a right 360o turn followed by a left 360o turn, then reversed course, conducted a figure-eight turn, and headed south-southeast bound. It gradually climbed to about 6,000 ft msl before entering a left descending turn and rapidly losing altitude. The track data indicated that the airplane descended from about 5,800 ft to 2,850 ft msl in the last 24 seconds of recorded track data.

A search for the airplane found no debris, and the airplane remains missing. The flight track data are consistent with a loss of airplane control.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR20FAMS1 for the full record.