Pilot Believed Killed in Ocean Crash
A twin-engine jet en route from Oxnard to San Diego crashed Tuesday morning in the Pacific Ocean about 16 miles southwest of Los Angeles International Airport, apparently killing the pilot, authorities said.
The pilot, a 42-year-old Ventura man and the chief pilot for Oxnard’s Aspen Helicopters Inc., is believed to have been the only person aboard the 10-seat plane, U. S. Coast Guard Lt. Mark Frankford said. His name was not released pending notification of kin.
A former Air Force flier and Vietnam veteran, the pilot was “extremely experienced,” said Rick Throckmorton, vice president and director of operations at Aspen Helicopters. Asked about the circumstances of the crash, he said, “We don’t have a clue.”
The plane--a Spartacus model built by Partenavia, an Italian manufacturer--left Oxnard at 9 a.m. and was due an hour later in San Diego, Frankford said.
The time of the crash remains uncertain. When the plane did not arrive in San Diego, Aspen Helicopters began a search and notified authorities.
Searchers found debris in the water about 1 p.m., Frankford said. As of late Tuesday night, a body had not been recovered, he said.
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