PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. — A devastating private plane crash off the Central California coast on Saturday night, July 26, 2025, claimed the lives of three Monterey County residents, whose identities have been confirmed by authorities.
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 released the names of the deceased on Sunday, expressing gratitude for the community’s outpouring of support while requesting privacy for the victims’ families and friends during this difficult time.
The ill-fated flight involved a twin-engine Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron, bearing the tail number N8796R, which departed from San Carlos Airport in San Mateo County at approximately 10:07 p.m. The aircraft was en route to Monterey Regional Airport, with an expected arrival time of around 10:37 p.m. However, flight tracking data from FlightAware.com indicates that the plane’s last recorded position was at 10:38 p.m., when it crashed into the Pacific Ocean approximately 200 to 300 yards off Point Pinos, near Sunset Drive and Jewell Avenue in Pacific Grove, close to the historic Point Pinos Lighthouse.
A multi-agency search and rescue operation was promptly initiated just before 11 p.m. Saturday, following a lost radar alert and 911 calls from local residents who reported hearing the plane’s engine revving loudly, followed by a splash in the ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard, Cal Fire, Monterey Fire Department, Pacific Grove Police, and Monterey County Sheriff’s Office collaborated in the response, with additional support from a San Mateo County Sheriff’s team, a Cal Fire boat, and two Cal Fire drones. The Coast Guard’s Monterey Station deployed a 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew, which arrived on the scene within 15 minutes, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Sector San Francisco was also dispatched.
At approximately 3:01 a.m. Sunday, a Monterey Fire Department boat crew located the first victim, who was unresponsive in the water. A Cal Fire drone later identified the submerged fuselage of the Beechcraft shortly before 6 a.m., containing the remaining two victims. Commercial divers, working alongside the Monterey Fire Boat 12 crew, recovered the bodies between 6:31 a.m. and 9:08 a.m. The search covered a 100-square-mile area over approximately 13 hours, with 346 miles of trackline searched, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The aircraft, manufactured in 1974, is registered to SEA2SKY AVIATION LLC, a company based in Dover, Delaware, per Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. James Vincent, one of the victims and the owner of Aquarius Dive Shop in Monterey, is believed to have been piloting the plane. Social media posts from Vincent indicate he had recently earned a multi-engine rating certification in February 2025 for the Beechcraft, which had been purchased by SEA2SKY AVIATION LLC in January.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash, with an investigator expected to arrive at the scene on Monday, July 28, 2025. The NTSB will document the crash site and examine the aircraft once it is recovered, though the agency does not conduct recovery efforts itself. Debris from the plane, including a wheel, washed ashore near Asilomar State Beach on Sunday, and the Community Emergency Response Team has secured the area pending the NTSB’s arrival.
Local pilots have noted the challenges of flying along the Central Coast, particularly due to potential weather variations, such as overcast conditions in Monterey despite clear skies elsewhere. However, the exact circumstances leading to the crash remain unclear, and the NTSB has not yet released details regarding potential mechanical issues or other contributing factors.
The Pacific Grove and Monterey County communities are reeling from the loss of three local residents, whose lives left a significant mark on the region. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on honoring the memories of Steve Eugene Clatterbuck, James Vincent, and Jamie Lee Tabscott, while seeking answers to the tragic events of that night.
