Pilot Diverted Toward French Valley Airport Before Fatal Crash

FRENCH VALLEY, CA — A small plane that crashed late Wednesday night near La Jolla, killing the pilot, was temporarily diverted toward the French Valley Airport mid-flight, according to FlightAware.com.

At 5:30 p.m., the single-engine Cessna P210 took off from a Concord-area airport in Central California, according to the flight tracker website. The plane was diverted toward French Valley Airport on his way to San Diego for reasons not yet fully understood.

A French Valley Airport spokesperson told Patch that the plane— with tail number N1400— was diverted yesterday on its way to San Diego. Still, it was unclear if the aircraft landed at the Murrieta area airport, and if so, what time it took off again.

After leaving French Valley Airport's airspace, the pilot headed once again toward San Diego. According to NBC reports, the pilot is said to have radioed at 9:30 p.m., saying he was low on fuel. According to the National Weather Service, the La Jolla night sky was foggy and rainy.

The downed plane was found hours later on the La Jolla Village Drive and Gilman Drive hillside at approximately 3 a.m. Thursday morning, according to San Diego Police.

The Federal Aviation Administration released the plane's tail number, N1400, registered to Michael M. Salour of Carlsbad.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.

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