A plane crash near Catalina Island, off the Southern California coast, has claimed the lives of all five people on board. The twin-engine Beechcraft 95, carrying four passengers and a pilot, went down Tuesday evening, October 8, 2024, shortly after departing from Catalina Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the crash occurred around 8 p.m., approximately one mile from the airport.
Authorities identified four of the five victims: Ali Reza Safai, a 73-year-old pilot and registered owner of the plane; Haris Ali, 33; Margaret Mary Fenner, 55; and Gonzalo Lubel, 34. The fifth victim, a man in his 30s, has yet to be identified as authorities continue to notify family members.
The plane had departed from Santa Monica Airport at 5:57 p.m., landing at Catalina around 6:20 p.m. Records show the aircraft began its return trip before radar contact was lost shortly after takeoff. FAA documents indicate that the plane’s crash occurred under unknown circumstances, and the cause is currently under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
According to reports, the aircraft crashed shortly after departure as it attempted to navigate Catalina Airport’s unique terrain, known for its challenges due to its elevation of 1,602 feet and a single 3,000-foot runway.
Responding to an emergency SOS notification from one of the passengers’ cell phones, rescue crews arrived at the crash site around 8:30 p.m. about a mile west of the island’s airport.
Ali Reza Safai, the pilot, was also a flight instructor at the Proteus Flight School in Santa Monica. Sources familiar with the incident informed KTLA that he had reportedly made the trip to assist two Proteus Flight School pilots stranded on the island due to mechanical problems.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that there were no adverse weather conditions at the time of the crash. Catalina Airport, known as the “Airport in the Sky,” typically restricts nighttime operations due to its location and lack of lighting infrastructure. Whether the pilot obtained any special clearance for takeoff after sunset remains unclear.
Catalina has experienced multiple severe aviation accidents over the years. In 2002, an aircraft collided with a hillside on the island, resulting in the deaths of five individuals. Officials reported that low visibility, combined with light rain and mist, led the pilot to miss the runway at Catalina’s Airport in the Sky on the initial attempt.
In 2008, a sightseeing helicopter crash near Two Harbors killed three people and injured three others, with two of the injuries being critical. The following year, another crash occurred during rainy conditions, claiming the lives of three more individuals on a tour airplane.