Small plane crashes on Catalina Island, 5 people dead
Portrait of Natalie Neysa AlundNatalie Neysa Alund
A plane that departed from Catalina Island off the Southern California coast crashed Tuesday night, killing all five people on board, the Federal Aviation Administration reported.
According to information from the agency, four passengers and the pilot were on board a twin-engine turboprop plane when it crashed near the island’s private airport about 8 p.m. local time.
The Beechcraft 95 crashed shortly after it left Catalina Airport almost 6½ miles northwest of Avalon, the FAA told USA TODAY.
Records show the plane crashed “under unknown circumstances” about a mile from the airport.
All five people on board the aircraft, including the pilot, were killed, the FAA reported.
The island, one of California’s Channel Islands, is about 21 miles southwest of Los Angeles. It has about 5,500 full-time residents.
According to FlightAware, an aircraft tracking website, earlier in the evening, the plane took off from the Santa Monica Airport at 5:57 p.m. and landed at the Catalina airport at 6:20 p.m.
According to FlightAware, an aircraft tracking website, earlier in the evening, the plane took off from the Santa Monica Airport at 5:57 p.m. and landed at the Catalina airport at 6:20 p.m.
