A twin-engine Beechcraft 95 airplane crashed near Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California, leading to the death of all five individuals onboard. The catastrophic incident occurred on Tuesday evening, October 8, 2024, shortly after the aircraft left Catalina Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The crash site was roughly one mile away from the airport, with the FAA confirming the accident happened around 8:00 p.m.
The victims were identified by authorities as Ali Reza Safai, the 73-year-old pilot and registered owner of the plane, Haris Ali, aged 33, Margaret Mary Fenner, aged 55, and Gonzalo Lubel, aged 34. The identity of the fifth victim, a man in his 30s, is yet to be disclosed as authorities are still in the process of informing his family members.
The ill-fated aircraft began its journey from Santa Monica Airport, California at 5:57 p.m., and landed at Catalina around 6:20 p.m. The plane started its return trip before radar contact was lost shortly after departure. FAA records reveal that the circumstances surrounding the crash are still unknown. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the cause of the accident.
Reports suggest that the plane went down shortly after takeoff while navigating the unique terrain of Catalina Airport, notorious for its 1,602-foot elevation and a singular 3,000-foot runway, which present significant challenges.
Rescue personnel reached the crash site around 8:30 p.m. in response to an emergency SOS notification sent from a passenger’s mobile phone. The location of the wreckage was approximately one mile west of the island airport.
According to sources familiar with the situation speaking to KTLA, the pilot, Ali Reza Safai, was also a flight instructor at Proteus Flight School in Santa Monica, California. He had reportedly undertaken the flight to assist two stranded Proteus Flight School pilots on the island due to mechanical issues.
An airport official reported that the pilot did not receive permission for takeoff. The airport closes its operations each day at 5 p.m., but pilots have the option to coordinate with management for arrivals and departures before sunset, according to the airport’s general manager, Carl True, in an interview with the Orange County Register on Thursday. True mentioned that the pilot had scheduled the arrival but not the takeoff, and he was advised of this. The airport prohibits flights after dark since it lacks the necessary facilities for nighttime activity. True stated that although the pilot did not receive permission, the departure was not deemed unlawful.
The airstrip is referred to as the Airport in the Sky due to its risky position at a height of 1,602 feet on the island, which lies approximately 25 miles away from Los Angeles. It features one runway measuring 3,000 feet in length.
Several severe aviation accidents have occurred on Catalina Island in the past. In 2002, a plane crash into a hillside resulted in five fatalities. Officials reported the pilot missed the runway on the initial attempt due to low visibility, light rain, and mist. In 2008, a sightseeing helicopter crash near Two Harbors claimed three lives and left three others critically injured. The following year, a plane crash during rainy conditions killed three more individuals.
