Tragic Small Plane Crash on Catalina Island Claims Five Lives
A small aircraft that took off from Catalina Island, located off the coast of Southern California, crashed on Tuesday night, resulting in the deaths of all five individuals aboard, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to the FAA, a twin-engine turboprop plane with four passengers and a pilot went down near the island’s private airstrip around 8 p.m. local time.
The Beechcraft 95 went down shortly after leaving Catalina Airport, situated about 6.4 miles northwest of Avalon, as confirmed by the FAA to YSL News.
Reports indicate that the plane crashed about a mile from the airport “under unknown circumstances.”
All five individuals on the plane, including the pilot, were confirmed deceased by the FAA.
Catalina Island, part of California’s Channel Islands, is located approximately 21 miles southwest of Los Angeles and has an estimated 5,500 full-time residents.
Aircraft Took Off from Santa Monica Airport Earlier That Day
Flight tracking website FlightAware reports that the plane took off from Santa Monica Airport at 5:57 p.m. and landed at Catalina Airport at 6:20 p.m. on the same day.
After departing from Avalon Airport, flight logs show that the aircraft lost radar coverage shortly after taking off.
Emergency crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Avalon Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to the scene around 8:30 p.m.
Identities of Those Aboard the Crashed Plane Remain Unknown
As of Wednesday morning, local authorities had yet to confirm the identities of the individuals on the plane.
YSL News is in contact with local officials for more information.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash, with the NTSB taking the lead role in the inquiry, as stated by the FAA.
This story is still developing.