Three people are confirmed dead after a small private plane crashed into the waters off the coast of Monterey County, California, late Saturday night, sending debris onto nearby beaches and rocky cliffs.
Authorities say the wreckage—scattered pieces of metal and even an oxygen tank—was found along the shoreline, some of it carried down the coast by the current. Dramatic video captured by bystanders shows debris washing ashore in the aftermath.
The aircraft, a twin-engine Beechcraft built in 1974, took off from San Carlos Airport near Redwood City at 10:11 p.m., according to FAA records. Flight-tracking service FlightAware reported its last radar signal at 10:37 p.m., just off the Monterey County coast.
A massive multi-agency search and rescue effort was launched, led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by Cal Fire, the Pacific Grove Police Department, the Monterey County and San Mateo County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Monterey Fire Department.
By Sunday morning, the first body was recovered. The Coast Guard later confirmed that the remaining two victims were found in the afternoon. The victims’ identities have not yet been released.
The plane went down approximately 200 to 300 meters from the shoreline, according to officials. KSBW reported that aerial flares were visible shortly after the crash, aiding rescuers in locating the site overnight.
Parts of Sunset Drive—between Jewell Avenue and Pico Avenue—have been closed to the public as authorities continue to investigate and collect debris. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the crash investigation and examine the wreckage to determine what caused the fatal incident.
Local residents described being startled awake by the noise. “I heard a plane flying really low over my house, then a loud pop,” one woman posted on Facebook. Another added, “Woke me up. Sounded like a plane doing stunt tricks over my roof—then I heard the impact.”
The crash occurred not far from the site where singer-songwriter John Denver was killed in 1997 when his experimental aircraft, a Rutan Long-EZ, plunged into Monterey Bay. The NTSB later determined that Denver’s fuel selector had been set incorrectly.
As of Sunday evening, the investigation remains ongoing.
