A tragic plane crash on California’s Catalina Islands resulted in the deaths of five people, including the plane’s owner, 73-year-old flight instructor Ali Reza Safai. The twin-engine Beechcraft 95 crashed just after takeoff from the Catalina Airport without clearance, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department received an S.O.S. message from one of the plane’s occupants alerting them to the crash. Despite the airport being closed at the time of the crash, the plane had arrived around 6:20 p.m., and the pilot had pre-arranged their arrival after 5 p.m., but not for takeoff.
The airport, located 1,600 feet above sea level, only operates between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily, with pilots required to pre-arrange arrivals and departures outside of these hours. While the pilot did not receive clearance for takeoff, airport officials noted that the move was not considered illegal. After the crash, it was determined that the plane’s tail had broken off and was found about 300 feet from the main wreckage. Despite the tragic outcome, Safai had a history of generosity and camaraderie, as he had previously assisted stranded Proteus Flight school members on the island.
In addition to Safai, the other victims of the crash were identified as Haris Ali, Margaret Mary Fenner, and two men in their 30s, whose identities are being withheld pending family notification. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office’s Special Enforcement Bureau released photos of the mangled wreckage on social media. The Catalina Airport, with its 3,000-foot runway, is not equipped for nighttime operations, which is why flights are not permitted after sunset. It remains unclear who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash, as Safai kept his plane at Santa Monica Airport but had run Santa Monica Aviation before closing it in 2018.
Safai had a background in aviation as a flight instructor at Santa Monica Airport and had assisted Proteus Flight school members who were stranded on the island due to mechanical issues. Proteus Flight school praised Safai’s spirit of generosity and camaraderie in helping retrieve the stranded occupants, who were left without transport or lodging at the top of Catalina Island. The National Business Aviation Association highlighted Safai’s work in the aviation industry before his tragic death in the plane crash. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash, which resulted in the loss of five lives on the Catalina Islands.
The small aircraft crashed just after takeoff from the Catalina Airport, leading to the fatal outcomes. Despite the airport being closed at the time, the pilot of the plane had pre-arranged the arrival after 5 p.m., but not for the takeoff. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to an S.O.S. message from one of the plane’s occupants alerting them to the crash. The mangled wreckage showed the plane’s tail had broken off and was found around 300 feet from the main site. Photos of the wreckage were shared on social media by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office’s Special Enforcement Bureau.
The victims of the crash were identified as Safai, Haris Ali, Margaret Mary Fenner, and two men in their 30s. Although the identities of the two men are being withheld pending family notification, the tragic loss of life has had a significant impact on the aviation community. Catalina Airport’s limited operating hours and lack of nighttime lighting contributed to the decision to not permit flights after sunset, causing complications for pilots. Safai’s history of generosity and assistance in retrieving stranded individuals on the island showcased his dedication to helping others in the aviation industry. The National Business Aviation Association highlighted Safai’s contributions to aviation before the plane crash on the Catalina Islands.
