PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. — Authorities have identified the three individuals who died in a tragic private plane crash off the Central California coast on Saturday night.
The victims are:
- Steve Eugene Clatterbuck, 60, of Salinas
- James Vincent, 36, of Monterey
- Jamie Lee Tabscott, 44, of Monterey
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identities following the recovery efforts led by multiple emergency agencies.
The victims were aboard a twin-engine Beechcraft 55 Baron (tail number N8796R) that departed San Carlos Airport in San Mateo County at 10:11 p.m. The flight was scheduled to arrive at Monterey Regional Airport at approximately 10:37 p.m., but contact was lost around the same time — marking the plane’s final recorded position, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.com.
The aircraft went down about 200 to 300 yards off Point Pinos, near the shoreline of Pacific Grove. A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched just before 11 p.m., involving the U.S. Coast Guard, Cal Fire, and local emergency responders.
At approximately 3:08 a.m. Sunday, a crew from the Monterey Fire Department located the first victim unresponsive in the water. Later, a Cal Fire drone discovered the aircraft’s submerged fuselage shortly before 6 a.m., with the remaining two victims still inside.
Commercial divers recovered the bodies between 6:30 and 9:08 a.m., according to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Graves. The search area spanned nearly 100 square miles, reflecting the magnitude and complexity of the recovery effort.
The aircraft is registered to SEA2SKY AVIATION LLC, a company based in Dover, Delaware, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now investigating the cause of the crash. No details have yet been released regarding potential mechanical issues or contributing factors.
As the investigation unfolds, the Monterey County community mourns the profound loss of three lives, remembered for their connections to the region and the lasting impact they leave behind.
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