Mike Eliason, a public information officer for Santa Barbara County Fire, said someone reported that they saw a single-engine aircraft descend rapidly shortly after taking off from Santa Barbara Airport around 7 a.m. Eliason says the person did not see an impact.
Officials with Santa Barbara County Fire, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol are searching the area near Goleta Beach with boats and helicopters.
The condition of the pilot of the Cessna 182 Skylane was not immediately known.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate to determine the cause of the crash.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.