Latest news with #LandonBaldwin
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Terrifying revelation about pilot who killed his pregnant wife and four other passengers in horror plane crash
The pilot of a small plane that crashed off the California coast - killing everyone on board, including his pregnant wife - said he was nervous about flying just two days before the tragedy, a new report has revealed. A Cessna 414A piloted by 29-year-old Landon Baldwin plunged into the Pacific Ocean just three miles off the San Diego coast, shortly after taking off from San Diego International Airport en route back home to Arizona on June 8. Landon, along with his 26-year-old pregnant wife Torrie, were killed, as were George 'Jeremy' Bingham, 48, of Arizona, and his three sons: George 'Bailey,' 26, Gavin, 24, and Ayden, 20. A shocking new preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that Landon had admitted feeling apprehensive in the days leading up to the fatal flight. The report, issued Tuesday, noted that the pilot 'had expressed some nervousness about the busy Southern California airspace' and had performed practice runs at an Arizona airport. Just two days before plunging into the frigid waters, the pilot flew the twin-engine aircraft to Springerville, Arizona, where he picked up a friend - identified in the report as the plane's 'regular pilot.' According to the report, the friend had logged nearly 50 hours of flight time with Landon prior to last month's catastrophe. Once in the air, the pair conducted four approaches under 'simulated instrument meteorological conditions,' with the friend - recently picked up - serving as a 'safety pilot' while Landon practiced. Landon (pictured) expressed unease about the congested airspace just two days before the fatal flight and had performed practice runs at an Arizona airport, a newly released report revealed Although the friend told investigators that Landon admitted feeling anxious while conducting practice runs - specifically about flying through congested airspace - he noted that he still 'appeared to be proficient' while reviewing the San Diego departure procedure. The tragedy occurred the day after the pilot and five passengers flew from Phoenix to San Diego, with plans to return the very next day, June 8. But around 12.30pm - shortly after taking off from the West Coast state - the plane suddenly went down, crashing violently into the waters below. According to the preliminary report, in the final minutes of the flight, Landon communicated with air traffic control as the plane climbed nearly 2,000 feet over the ocean before making a steep descent to just 200 feet. 'Are you doing OK there? Do you need assistance?,' the controller asked, as reported by The Mercury News. 'Affirm,' the pilot responded as the plane flew at only just 1,000 feet. The air traffic controller then 'queried' Landon about 'the nature of the problem,' to which he responded that he was 'just struggling' to climb to a higher altitude. He continued flying at a dangerously low altitude and was instructed to land at the nearby Naval Air Station North Island, but admitted he couldn't see the airfield before executing 'a series of erratic maneuvers.' Moments later, Landon let out anguished cries, urgently calling out to the controller, 'Mayday, mayday, mayday!' before the plane barreled into the water two miles offshore. according to Mercury News. No survivors were found. When the plane went down, a police helicopter about 10 miles away responded quickly and spotted an oil slick on the water, according to the NTSB report. The helicopter pilot ultimately told the agency that he 'estimated the cloud bases at roughly 800 feet with the highest layer near 1,600 feet.' The cause of the crash remains unspecified in the newly released report, with the final conclusions expected to take up to two years to be fully determined, as reported by The Sacramento Bee. Among the crash victims were 'Jeremy' Bingham, 48, who is survived by his wife and the boys' mother, Stephanie, and their youngest daughter and recent high school graduate, Kadie. Jeremy's son Bailey, 26, left behind his wife Ashlyn and their nine-month-old son, Carter. Ayden, 20, is now mourned by his fiancée, Camille. Landon and Torrie leave behind their two young children, according to a GoFundMe created to help as they grow up. Records obtained by the Mercury News indicated that the plane was owned by a nutritional supplement company based in Arizona. A spokesperson for the company told the outlet that the plane had been sold two years ago to 'a private group of individuals.' 'We personally knew several of the passengers onboard and our sincerest condolences are offered to those affected by the tragedy, all of whom are incredible members of our small community,' a statement from Optimal Health said, the outlet reported.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Coast Guard Announces Decision on Search for 6 People Killed in Plane Crash
The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for six people after a small plane crashed into the ocean just off the coast of San Diego, according to its news release. The Cessna 414 vanished into the Pacific on Sunday, June 8, about three miles west of Point Loma. Crews scoured more than 300 square miles over a 35-hour span but found no survivors. The search ended Tuesday morning, according to a Coast Guard news release. Among the victims were pilot Landon Baldwin and his wife Torrie, both in their 20s and parents to two young children. Also on board were a father and his three adult sons from Arizona, though their names have not been officially released. 'The decision to suspend a search is never an easy one,' said Lt. Cmdr. Justin Brooks, a Coast Guard rescue coordinator in a statement. 'Our hearts are with the loved ones of those involved in the crash.' The tragedy hit hard in the Baldwins' hometown of Pima, Arizona. 'I didn't want to believe it at first,' family member Kristen Baldwin told Fox 10 Phoenix. 'It just didn't seem like it could happen to this couple who is so awesome.' Eyewitness Tyson Wislofsky described seeing the plane descend in an unusual pattern. 'I saw him come down at an angle,' he told local reporters. 'The next time he came out of the clouds, he went straight into the water. After I saw the splash, it was dead silent.' While some speculated the pilot may have been stunting, family members insist that couldn't have been the case. "Landon wouldn't have taken a risk like that," Kristen said. "Something must've gone terribly wrong." As families mourn, the cause of the crash remains under investigation. For now, a community grieves a sudden and heartbreaking loss just off California's scenic Guard Announces Decision on Search for 6 People Killed in Plane Crash first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2025
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pilot and His Wife Among 6 Dead After Plane Crashes Off San Diego Coast, Family Says
Six people died after a small plane crashed into the water off the coast of San Diego on Sunday, June 8 A family member has identified two of the victims as pilot Landon Baldwin and his wife Torrie 'I was deeply shocked,' Baldwin's relative saidSix people died after a small plane crashed off the California coast, including a pilot and his wife. On Sunday, June 8, a Cessna 414 crashed into the Pacific Ocean near San Diego at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. The plane took off from San Diego International Airport and was headed to Phoenix, Ariz., according to Flightaware. The initial FAA report says that the plane crashed 'under unknown circumstances" and that there were six fatalities. When reached for more information, the FAA directed PEOPLE to local authorities, who have not yet responded to a request for comment. In a press release shared that day, the United States Coast Guard confirmed they joined other agencies to search for six people after a plane crashed three miles west of Point Loma. The water below the debris field was approximately 200 feet. Following the crash, the pilot was identified by a family member as Landon Baldwin, from Pima, Ariz., according to Fox affiliate KSAZ and NBC affiliate KNSD. Relative Kirsten Baldwin also confirmed that Landon's wife Torrie was on board. Both in their 20s, the couple leaves behind two young children, according to KSAZ. A father and his three adult sons, also from Arizona, were also reportedly on the plane. 'I was deeply shocked,' Kristen told KSAZ. 'I didn't want to believe it at first because it just didn't seem like it could happen to this couple who is so awesome that I knew.' As for what happened, the relative said that Landon "wouldn't prank to get close to the water, or do something adrenaline-seeking" and that she believed "something was incredibly wrong for that to have happened.' Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In his final moments, Landon told air traffic controllers that the plane was having a hard time climbing, according to audio reviewed by KNSD. The pilot told the controller he was only about 1,000 feet in the air, which prompted him to urge Landon to ascend to 4,000 feet. Landon was also unable to see the U.S. naval airport on Coronado Island, where the controller advised him to land. Not long after, Landon repeatedly sent out a Mayday call before losing contact, KNSD reported. A witness previously told KNSD that he initially thought the plane was originally doing stunts in the air. "I saw him come down at an angle. He wasn't flying straight to the ground," said Tyson Wislofsky. "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,' he continued. 'I knew that they went in the water, nose first, at a high speed." The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are continuing to investigate the incident. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six Arizonans die in San Diego area plane crash
The Brief Six Arizonans died in a San Diego area plane crash on June 8. We're hearing from a family member of one of the victims, who was the pilot. PHOENIX - Six people are dead after a small plane crashed off the coast of San Diego, and according to FlightAware, the plane was returning to Phoenix. We're learning more about the victims who lived in Arizona. What we know Five miles off the coast of Point Loma in San Diego, around noon on Sunday, June 8, a twin-engine Cessna 414 suddenly crashed into the water, killing all six people on board, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. "I was deeply shocked. I didn't want to believe it at first because it just didn't seem like it could happen to this couple who is so awesome that I knew," Kirsten Baldwin, a relative of pilot Landon Baldwin, said. Kirsten spent Monday, June 9, grieving her cousin by marriage, the pilot, Landon, who made a distress call moments before the crash. She says Landon was an avid flyer who wanted to make a career of it. The victims Landon and his wife Torrie, both in their 20s, were from Pima, Arizona. A Gila Valley father with his three adult sons were also aboard the plane. The Baldwin couple leaves behind two small children under five years old. Dig deeper "There might have been some maintenance problems, but all I know is that they nosedived into the water, and from knowing Landon, that's not something, he wouldn't pull a prank to get close to the water, or do something adrenaline-seeking. Something was incredibly wrong for that to have happened," Kirsten said. What went wrong abroad the plane is still being investigated by the NTSB. Data shows the pilot told air traffic controllers that the plane was having trouble gaining altitude. The pilot issued a mayday and was unable to see a U.S. naval airport on Coronado Island where he was directed to land. "Landon and Torrie were huge believers in Jesus Christ. They had a lot of faith about the power of seeing your loved ones again, and that families can live together forever. It's so tragic what happened, but there's a little bit of hope that they will get to see their kids again and their kids will get to see them again," Kirsten said. What's next The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.
