AIRPLANE ACCIDENTS: SANTA CATALINA ISLAND
Wayne Kratzer photographed this propeller and hub assembly on the link below at the Isthmus of Catalina in July of 2007. It may be from a Vought F4U-1D or a TBM-3 that crashed on the island in the 1940s.
- 8/4/1996: Cessna 421C crash
- 4 serious; 2 minor
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SANTA CATALINA ISLAND FATAL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS:
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| DATE | AIRCRAFT | IDENTIFICATION | FATALITIES | CIRCUMSTANCES | |
| 1921 | Curtiss Flying Boat USN | 3 fatalities | crashed into headland south of Avalon | ||
| January 19, 1923 |
F-5L-2 Seaplane | A-3359 | * W. H. Rohrback & Earl B. Brix | 6 injured | |
| November 2, 1933 |
Douglas Dolphin; Wilmington-Catalina Amphibian | NC-12212 | * Elliott McFarlane Moore * George R. Baker |
pilot Walter L. Seiler (42) survived | |
| April 30, 1942 |
Lockheed P-38D Lightening | * Walter F. Lichtenberger | crash-landed at Buffalo Springs | ||
| October 17, 1944 |
Goodyear Blimp USN | King III | * Thomas H. Ralston * Thomas R. Smith * Wallace H. Marriage * Edward T. Gorski * Gordon F. Kaiser * Preston L. Girard |
6 survived | |
| 1944— 1945 |
Voght F4U USN | pilot killed | drowned in kelp | ||
| April 14, 1945 |
2 Navy pilots | mid-air collision off Santa Catalina Island | |||
| September 26, 1945 |
* LeRoy Herr * Edwin O. Hoell |
jet crash at Santa Catalina Island | |||
| April 2, 1947 |
SC-1 Scouting Plane | Ensign Dominic Leggio | crashed off Long Point, Santa Catalina Island | ||
| August 28, 1951 |
Grumman TBM-3E | Robert H. Nash , Dale J. Stearns, Vern D. Cain. Charles T. CHaney | 4 fatalities | ||
| September 23, 1954 |
F9F Panther | Serial #123615 | * Arthur Wagner | From VMFT-10; crash caused by engine failure | |
| July 25, 1956 |
ADS Skyraider | marine lieutenant | George V. Mikkelsen, pilot survived | ||
| May 29, 1957 |
F3D Skynight | Master Sergeant McFeeley | pilot survived | ||
| October 12, 1958 |
Republic Seabee | * Vincent R. Pardew * Marcelle Crumley * Edgar Hinton |
crashed into a mountain | ||
| July 7, 1960 |
Howard H. Holder Robert T. Woyaich |
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| July 13, 1964 |
Channel Airlines plane sank at takeoff | Robert Smith |
nine pax survived | ||
| August 9, 1966 |
Cessna 150A | N7160X | 1 fatality | Plane went into the ocean. ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| May 12, 1967 |
Piper PA-24 | Frederick Phillippi Sally Phillippi Gilbert Renbarger Arlene Renbarger |
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| May 27, 1967 |
Grumman G-73 | N2968 | Ralph Savory | 3 injured ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| September 12, 1967 |
Piper PA-24 | N5638P | 28-year-old pilot | crashed on final approach plane crash map | |
| September 29, 1968 |
Grumman G-21A | N325 | 1 fatality | Catalina Seaplanes ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| January 10, 1969 |
McDonnell Douglas F-4J USN | Serial #153906 | Richard Hamerstone Darryl D. Olsen |
Two men from VF-121 Squadron hit a ridge in their fighter jet on January 10. | |
| February 18, 1969 |
Grumman E-1B USN | Serial #147235 | *Lt. Billy W. Ray *Lt. Melvin D. Brewer *Lt. Edward A. Taraldsen * Lt. Francis Horahan *Lt. Larry W. Garrison |
Men from VAW-111 Detachment 20 hit Silver Peak | |
| March 21, 1972 |
Cessna 150H | N50218 | Roy W. Corrigan Roger T. Powell |
ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| January 14, 1973 |
Piper PA-24 | N5334P | 1 fatality | ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| November 5, 1976 |
Beechcraft D45 | N14406 | 1 fatality | ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| August 19, 1977 |
Grumman G-21 Goose | N979SB | 1 fatality | Catalina Airlines | |
| August 22, 1977 |
Beechcraft E18S | N979SB | Charles C. Clifford Robert G. Graves |
Air Fast Freight CLIFFORD ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| December 14, 1977 |
Bellanca 7ECA | N5233X | 1 fatality | ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| July 10, 1978 |
Georgia Grace Wyatt | Catalina Airlines helicopter | |||
| April 14, 1979 |
Grumman G-21 | N11CS | Ruth Gardner | Catalina Airlines aircraft was landing at Pebbly Beach when pilot attempted a go-around to avoid a boat wake. Aircraft stalled and crashed. Catalina Goose GARDNER ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| September 17, 1979 |
Grumman | N22932 | John Gagnon | Catalina Airlines. Elevator control cable broke during a take-off at Pebbly Beach and aircraft crashed. Three survived the crash: pilot, Vern McGee; Larry Gilman; O. T. Gilman | |
| December 10, 1979 |
Piper PA-28 | N8432C | David Lee Riddle Eddie Reyes |
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| January 26, 1980 |
Piper PA-32 | N2781M | Mark Anthony Felice | Roman Noah Felice, pilot survived; saw USO (unidentified submerged object); YOU TUBE | |
| February 22, 1981 |
Sikorsky S-62A | N324Y | Miguel Ortega & Lior Levy | Catalina Airlines helicopter | |
| May 28, 1981 |
Beechcraft 58 | N140S | 2 fatalities | ||
| June 11, 1982 |
Wing D-1 | N8601M | Alfred Asterman + 1 fatality |
ASTERMAN ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| January 3, 1983 |
Piper PA-28-161 | N2239M | Max Reinstein James Henry Gibbons |
+ 2 injured. ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| January 30, 1984 |
Leerjet 24 | N44GA | * Kenneth Doyle Plante * David Soderling * Steven A. Berardi * Heather Berardi * Joe L. Denison * Oralyn Ann Denison |
The jet touched down 500 feet down the runway, overran the runway and went over a 90 feet bluff. It caught fire and all six aboard were killed. | |
| May 20, 1984 |
Piper Lance | N30298 | 2 fatalities | 3 injured | |
| June 18, 1984 |
FA-18 Hornet | Serial #161966 | James R. Brodengeyer | fighter jet from VFA-131 crashed into the island above White's Landing. Deputy Jimmie Richard Henry was the Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff assigned to the Avalon Station. Deputy Henry's single exposure to toxic carcinogens he inhaled at the crash site while on duty, was the proximate cause of his untimely death on May 12, 1995. He was 49 years old. | |
| January 18, 1985 |
McDonnell Douglas F-18 | 1 fatality | |||
| November 30, 1985 |
Bell 206-L Jet Ranger | Hossein Habibi | 11 survivors; Island Express helicopter collision | ||
| September 23, 1987 |
Grumman A-6E Intruder | 155674 | Cmdr. Lloyd D. Sledge | VA-52, US Navy; navigator survived SLEDGE ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| July 3, 1990 |
Cessna 172N | N2810E | Robert David Harder, Jr. (15) | Robert David Harder, pilot survived Jonathan Benzing (33) survived | |
| May 2, 1992 |
Beechcraft A-36 | N583T | 1 fatality | ||
| May 27, 1992 |
Beechcraft S-35 | N5874S | 2 fatalities | ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| February 15, 1993 |
Beechcraft E-33 | N7882R | 1 fatality | Pilot committed suicide. A note was found in his car at Long Beach Airport the next day. ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| April 5, 1994 |
Cessna 152 | N93508 | Jeffrey Noel Matson | ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| February 11, 1997 |
Piper PA-28-161 | N8436X | Ronald Trenton | ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| May 7, 1998 |
Cessna 172N | N6514E | Darin Cameron Audrey Nizich Peter Nizich Jennifer Ortega |
ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| September 30, 1998 |
Cessna 152 | N49770 | Daniel Welker | ||
| November 21, 1999 |
Aerostar 600 | N97CC | Walter Cecil | ||
| August 2, 2002 |
Beechcraft Barron | 2 fatalities James Konesky and Jeannie Hansel | |||
| December 24, 2003 |
Piper PA-34-200T | N3747U | Scott Hegger Francine Gaume Justine Gaume Lucas Gaume Patrice Duclos |
HEGGER ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| August 31, 2005 |
Avions Robin R | N216RN | Arnaud Brierre | student survived by parachuting out at 2,000 feet Award to rescuers | |
| September 7, 2005 |
Cessna 172RG | N9636B | 2 fatalities | ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| May 24, 2008 |
Aerospatiale Helo | N67GE | Emeric Maillet John Terry Tania Hurd |
MAILLET ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| October 20, 2008 |
Mooney M20J | N201EN | Dr. Charles Cowan Jeanien Cowan Patricia Carmichael |
Stanley Carmichael survived COWAN ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| February 5, 2009 |
Beechcraft A-36 | N66819 | Mark Hogland Amy Marie Judd Marshall Goldberg |
HOGLAND ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| July 1, 2010 |
Cessna 182P | N222CG | Jeffrey Loeffler | pilot had a heart attack LOEFFLER ACCIDENT REPORT | |
| May 28, 2016 | Cessna 172 | N739ZE | Edmond Haronian Jason Glazier |
Plane disappeared after taking off from Airport-in-the-Sky. | |
| June 17, 2019 | Robinson R44 Clipper helicopter | N7187D | Philiip Su Chu Yang |
Helicopter out of Torrance Airport crashed on the northwest end. YANG CCIDENT REPORT | |
| October 9, 2024 | Beechcraft 95 | N73WA | 5 fatalities: Ali Reza Safai, 73 Harris Ali, 33 Margaret Mary Fenner, 55 Gonzalo Lubel, 34 Joeun Park, 37 |
Beechcraft 95 with five PAX aboard crashed shortly after takeoff from AVX. All were killed. | |
| September 30, 2026 | Reach Air Medical Services helicopter | ? | [[Steven Robinson, 59, pilot; Jessica deVries, 48, Flight nurse; Catalina Hernandez Romero, 45, patient being transported for a severe allergic reaction.
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TOTAL =
- 65 fatal plane/helicopter incidents (1921-2026)
- 127 fatalities
In the News~
February 19, 1937 [Santa Cruz Evening News]: “Navy Fliers Hurt in Island Crash. Avalon, Catalina Island, Cal., Feb. 19—D. R. Towles, aviation machinists mate, first class, was seriously injured, and Lieut. Wallace C. Short, junior grade, slightly hurt when their fighting seaplane crashed near the shore of the isthmus of Catalina today. The plane, attached to the heavy cruiser Chicago, which had been engaged this week in tactical exercises between here and San Clemente Island, was headed over the isthmus for a landing in Catalina harbor.”
April 15, 1945 [LBI]: “2 Navy fliers die in crash off Catalina. Two naval fighter pilots were officially reported missing by the navy yesterday, following the mid-air collision of two fighter planes off Catalina on Friday. According to the public relations office of the naval operating base, the ships were on routine maneuvers, and were flying from a Southern California naval station. The pilots, who are listed as missing because their bodies have not yet been recovered, were Lt. Benjamin Frankel, whose mother, Mrs. Fannie Frankel, lives in Cudahy, Wis. and Ens. Willard James Teitz, whose mother, Mrs. Pearl May Teitz, residing in Chipperwa Falls, Wis. In both cases the next of kin has been notified. An intensive search of the area is being carried on with small craft and observation planes, the navy explains.”
September 5, 1948 [photo]: “Catalina Island plane crash. Flying boat crashes in fog-shrouded take-off. Catalina Island, Calif. The crumpled plane of Amphibian Air Transport lies against cliff off Catalina Island. The pilot, Robert F. Reynolds, escaped death in the fog-shrouded crash, in what was called "a totally unauthorized" flight. Reynolds took off from the Seadrome in the fog, made a 180 degree turn and crashed into the island cliff. No passengers were aboard the craft at the time of the accident. Photo by Island Photo Service.”
July 30, 1949 [Long Beach Press Telegram]: “Avalon Bay Crash Severs Fliers Legs. Crash of an amphibian plane at the mouth of Avalon Harbor, Catalina Island, late this morning caused the pilot and his passenger to lose their legs, island authorities reported. In serious condition in Avalon Hospital are Jack Dowdle, about 40, pilot, and Frederick Kelly, 43, both of San Diego. It was not indicated whether they will be returned to the mainland. The Avalon harbor master said the plane plunged into the water and the men were rescued by the crew of a water taxi just before the plane sank. The plane was reported to be operated by Swift Air Service, San Diego.”
July 31, 1949 [LBI]: “Prop severs legs from 2 in crash. A spectacular airplane crash in Avalon Bay Saturday afternoon caused whirling propeller blades to knife off the legs of the plane's two occupants. The victims were San Diego fliers Jack Dowdle, 38 and Frederick J. Kelly, 43. Thousands of horrified vacationists saw the tragedy. The single-engine amphibian spun on its side at takeoff when it skidded in the wake of a passing speedboat. The plane engine, mounted above and behind the occupants at center wing, slid forward and toppled into the cockpit, the propeller striking the men's legs. Dowdle is the owner of the Swift Aero Service, operator of seaplanes between San Diego and Catalina Island. More than 1000 persons went to Avalon Hospital to volunteer blood transfusions for the men.”
July 26, 1956 [LBI]: “Scout saves flier from sea; officer still missing in crash. After 16 hours of drifting in the cold waters of Catalina Island, a Marine Corps pilot was rescued Wednesday by a Sea Scout ship. The pilot, M. Sgt. George V. Mikkelsen, 1315 S. Doreen Way, Santa Ana, had been missing since he rode his disabled ADS Skyraider into the sea Tuesday afternoon. Still missing is Mikkelsen's passenger, a Marine lieutenant who accompanied him on a classified mission out of El Toro Marine Crops Air Station near Santa Ana. His name was not released. Search for the passenger was called off at nightfall Wednesday, the Coast Guard announced. Participating in the search were five Marine helicopters, three Coast Guard surface vessels and a Coast Guard aircraft. The lieutenant is believed to have parachuted from the plane seconds before it plunged into the ocean. Sgt. Mikkelsen was lifted from the water by Sea Scouts aboard the Anaheim Scout boat Rotaleo after one of the Scouts, 16-year-old Jim Nellesen, dived into the water to aid him. Nellesen, 11334 E. Romneya, Anaheim, spotted the pilot bobbing in the sea at 7:35 a.m. Wednesday. "The pilot was nearly unconscious and as blue as my Levis," reported Tom L. Hoag, Jr., 38, of 817 W. Sycamore, Anaheim, the Rotelo's skipper. Aboard the Rotelo, a 45-foot vessel, were 13 Scouts, Hoag and two other adults. The boat was heading to Catalina Island from the Santa Barbara Islands on a summer cruise. It's due to return to Newport Beach Saturday. After picking up the pilot, the vessel sailed to Emerald Bay near the Catalina Isthmus. A Marine amphibian met the boat there and flew Mikkelsen to the El Toro dispensary. The 192-pound sergeant, a flier for 15 years, suffered severe shock but otherwise appeared uninjured. In is hospital bed at El Toro he said he lost his life raft packet when he struck the water. He dived for it but it sank beyond his grasp. "I hated to see that thing disappear," he remarked, smiling weakly. He told of sending up two flares and of the long hours during which he alternately swam, floated exhaustedly in his life preserver, prayed, slept or lapsed into unconsciousness. "When I was napping," he said, "a big wave would slap me and wake me up." His first words when pulled from the water were "How's the little lieutenant?" He was referring to the second lieutenant who accompanied him on the ordnance evaluation mission. Lt. Col. D. L. Cummings, commanding officer of the Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 15, said Mikkelsen earlier had told him of instructing his fellow Marine. "Get the switch off, Mike." The sergeant said that when his plane developed trouble he ordered his passenger to bail out. Mikkelsen stayed with the plane and rode it down into the ocean. As Sgt. Mikkelsen drifted in the chilling waters, he thought of "my little boy — the shape of his head." He explained that his 4-year-old son, Mike, fell several days ago and suffered a head gash. The wound had started to heal but still looks angry, he said. Sgt Mikkelsen said he didn't worry about rescue, about sharks or about dying. "No I didn't want to think about any of those things — so I didn't," he said. "Sharks?" Once I felt something on my leg but I didn't want to even think about what it was," he added. His wife, Dorothy Lee, visited him in the hospital Wednesday. The couple also have a daughter, Melanie, 5. Asked if he remembered the Sea Scouts who rescued him, Sgt. Mikkelsen replied: "Everything about that is real vague. But I want to see them all. They're great — all time boys." The sergeant indicated the lieutenant may not have had time to parachute to safety. He said he "felt the lieutenant" next to him but did not see him during the hectic moments of departing from the crippled fighter bomber. The plane, attached to the 3rd Marine Wing, took off from El Toro at 3:48 p.m. Tuesday. Search for the missing craft was ordered at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Planes Tuesday night lighted the area with flares in an attempt to locate the victims. There has been no sign of the plane wreckage so far.”
July 16, 1964 [The Catalina Islander]: “Channel Loses Grumman Goose. Channel Airlines 7:45 flight from Pebbly Beach to Long Beach crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday morning. The plane had left the water and was a height of approximately 50 feet when one of its two engines failed. Cause of the engine failure will never be known as the plane sank in 300 ft. of water minutes after crashing. One theory is that the engine threw its prop, setting up serious vibrations which caused the plane to go out of balance. Too low to make any possible correction in trim, Pilot Robert Smith was somehow able to keep the plane upright which probably saved the lives of his nine passengers. Channel Airlines' president, Bob Hanley, who was at Pebbly Beach loading a second section of the 7:45 flight, sped to the scene in one of his planes to give assistance. He was accompanied by Bill Boyd and Eric Moore. Two fishing boats in the area had taken the passengers off the plane within minutes of the crash. They were brought to Avalon by boat and then at Channel's insistence taken to the local hospital for check-ups. Three were hospitalized for observation and released the following day. Those aboard the ill fated plane were William Stringfellow, Irwin North, Robert Smith, Lloyd S. Wilson, Franas Francisco, Thomas L. Watson, Charles S. Garrett, Hugh F. Johnston, Thomas C. Pine and Fred Lano. Due to the location, 1000 yards from shore and depth of 300 feet, no effort will be made to recover the expensive plane.”
March 11, 1965 [The Catalina Islander]: “Last Sunday afternoon, a small, amphibian plane hit a power line while making an approach for a landing at Catalina Harbor. The plane collided with the power lines approximately 60 ft. above ground. After a violent stall it hit the ground 218 feet away. George McElroy and Roy Clark of the Isthmus pulled the three victims from the wreckage. They were flown to a mainland hospital aboard a Coast Guard helicopter. At press time the three men are in critical condition at Little Company of Mary Hospital.”
December 23, 1965 [The Catalina Islander]: “Two young men owe their lives to Catalina's Toyon Holly this Christmas season. The men miraculously walked away from this plane after it had crashed into four of the plants which cushioned its landing. The plane piloted by Joe Ferlauto and carrying Charles Page attempted to land near the airport at 5:45 p.m. Saturday night. Both men walked unscratched from the wreckage.”
September 18, 1979 [LAT]: “1 Dies, 3 Survive in Ocean Plane Crash. A husky construction worker dragged his 350-pound father and the unconscious and seriously injured pilot out of a Catalina Airlines amphibian Monday evening after it plunged upside down into the ocean off Santa Catalina Island. But Larry Gilman, 27, was unable to reach the third passenger, who went down with the twin-engine Grumman Goose in 250 feet of water 200 feet off Pebbly Beach, a mile east of Avalon. Gilman and his father, O.T. Gilman, 52, administered first aid to the pilot, Vern McGee, 54, on a wing of the amphibian, which broke nearly in half on impact, until all three were rescued by a passing motor yacht just before the plane sank. The plane crashed at 5:20 p.m. as it was taking off for a flight to San Pedro. It was the second fatal crash of the carrier's Grumman Goose planes in five months. The survivors were taken by the 22 foot motor yacht Avalon, then transferred to Avalon Community Hospital. McGee was given emergency treatment there before being flown by Coast Guard helicopter to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance. McGee, who lives in Lakewood, suffered head injuries, cuts and possible chest injuries. The Gilmans both refused physical examinations to determine if they have been injured. However, later Monday night, a deputy sheriff located both father and son at an Avalon bar and took them to the Avalon hospital for checkups. Both appeared to be in good condition. Details of the crash were furnished by deputy sheriffs, Posh Gardiner, traffic controller for the Avalon Harbor Patrol, and Mrs. Sandy Felix, sister of Larry Gilman, who had talked to her father and brother before they were taken to the hospital. "Larry dragged dad out of the plane onto the wing, then went back for the pilot, who was unconscious and badly cut up. Dad and Larry held the pilot on the wing and did what they could for him until they were rescued." Gardiner said that by the time the Harbor Patrol boat Baywatch had arrived on the scene, all the survivors were aboard the private motor yacht and that the Gilmans were still aiding the pilot. Divers went down to the wreckage but could not find the third passenger, a 33 year old man whose identity was not made public, Gardiner said. Mrs. Felix said that her father and brother had told her that they boarded the plane after the other passenger had gone aboard and did not know just where he was seated in the amphibian. She added that her father also is employed as a construction worker and that he and his son also manage the Bay View Hotel in Avalon. Authorities said the cause of the crash could not be determined immediately. The FAA and other agencies will conduct an investigation. Several eyewitnesses told deputy sheriffs that the plane appeared to have lost power on take-off. Last April, another Catalina Airlines Grumman Goose crashed while attempting to land in Avalon Harbor. An 81-year-old woman passenger was killed and eight other passengers and the pilot were injured.
The plane sank in 100 feet of water, taking the elderly woman down with it.
In June, 1977, the FAA forced the carrier to suspend its amphibian flights on the grounds that three of the planes had been found to be "unairworthy." The suspension was lifted after the planes, reported to have been damaged by saltwater corrosion, were repaired. During the suspension, the carrier continued service between the island and the mainland with large Sikorsky helicopters.
May 28, 1992 [LAT]: “Two people died Wednesday when a private plane crashed near the airport on Catalina Island, a sheriff’s deputy said. The plane went down on a wooded and brushy hillside two miles west of Airport-in-the-Sky about 3:15 P.M., said an airport official. The plane lost power after takeoff, said sheriff’s Deputy Hal Grant.”
May 29, 1992 [NYT]: “A man and a woman were killed when their small plane crashed on takeoff from the airport on Catalina Island. The plane went down on a wooded and brushy hillside two miles west of Airport-in-the-Sky about 3:15 P.M., an airport official said.”
November 22, 1999 [TI/Avalon]: “A twin-engine Piper aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Catalina Island today, killing at least one man. The six-seat, 1974 Piper Aerostar 600A took off from Fullerton Airport in Orange County at 9:15 A.M. today and disappeared from radar an hour later, said Kirsto Dunn, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman in Seattle. Officials did not know how many people were aboard because the pilot did not file a flight plan, Ms. Dunn said. The airplane had been flying at about 5,500 feet on training maneuvers, she said. The Coast Guard was searching about 14 miles northeast of the island resort, which is about 30 miles off the Southern California coast, and had recovered some debris from the plane. One man’s body was taken to a Coast Guard base in Los Angeles, the agency said. No other information about the man was available.”
November 3, 2001 [NTSB]: “Piper PA-32-260, registration: N3516W; 3 pax uninjured. On November 3, 2001, at 1645 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-32-260, N3516W, sustained a loss of engine power during departure climb and ditched into the Pacific ocean, about 4 miles south of Catalina Island, Avalon, California. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private rated pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The originating flight departed from runway 22, and was destined for Carlsbad, California.
The pilot reported that after takeoff the engine began making a "rattling" noise with a loss of engine power. He was unable to return to the runway and landed in the ocean. The Catalina Island airport manager stated that a pilot reported hearing the accident airplane prior to departure and that the engine sounded "terrible or strange" to him.”
December 25, 2003 [CT]: “Avalon, California—A twin-engine plane crashed into a mountain on Santa Catalina Island in poor weather Wednesday, killing all five people aboard, authorities said. Three adults and two children were killed, said Brendon Peart, supervising dispatcher for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The victims were not immediately identified.”
October 3, 2010 [Examiner.com]: “A 1956 Cessna 310 twin engine light aircraft (N310XX) registered to Sabovich and Sons of Arroyo Grande, California crashed shortly after takeoff, about one-half mile southeast of Catalina Airport (CIB), also known as the Airport in the Sky, on Sunday afternoon, October 4 at 3:40 p.m. PDT. The three persons on board were injured from the accident and resulting fire, which also caused a three acre brush fire that was quickly extinguished by first responders. Those injured, who are yet to be identified, were taken to Torrance Memorial Medical Center in the southwestern region of Los Angeles County. Two of the victims suffered critical burn injuries, and the third sustained moderate burn injuries from the accident. The 54-year-old pilot had indicated that his left engine had failed shortly after takeoff. The aircraft had earlier arrived from John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, CA to pick up two passengers. According to Captain Mike Parker of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, all three were transported by a sheriff's rescue helicopter for medical treatment. The passengers were identified as a 50-year-old man and 48-year-old woman, all in stable condition and expected to survive. FAA spokesperson Ian Gregor, confirmed the time of the crash, whose cause is under investigation. Santa Catalina Island, commonly called Catalina, was originally owned by the William Wrigley, Jr., the chewing gum magnate, and his family. It is located 22 miles south by southwest of Los Angeles in the Pacific Ocean. Catalina Airport is located six miles northwest of the Avalon central business district, at an elevation of 1,602 feet. The single runway, which dips midway, is 3,000 feet long and 60 feet wide. This journalist has flown into Catalina Airport as a passenger on similar twin engine aircraft. The airport lies at the island's highest point, with roads leading to it climbing steeply, with many switchbacks. It was originally called Buffalo Springs Airport when it opened in the late 1930s. United Airlines originally provided commercial service with DC-3 equipment. The island remains a popular tourist destination for observing Bald Eagles, about 150 American Bison, the Catalina Orangetip Butterfly, over 400 species of plants, and surrounding waters rich in marine life. It was originally discovered by the Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailing under Spanish flag, on October 7, 1542.”
November 3, 2013 [Press Telegtam]: “Three escape with minor injuries from Catalina plane crash Sunday afternoon. CATALINA ISLAND. Three passengers escaped with minor injuries from a light plane crash on Catalina Island today, according to Capt. Douglas Fetteroll, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Avalon Station. The passengers were transported to area hospitals, he said. Their identities have not yet been released. County fire supervisor Miguel Orenelas said a light plane had come off a runway at the Catalina Airport. It was not known if the plane was landing or taking off. Catalina Airport In The Sky officials said the crash is still being investigated and declined to comment Sunday evening. The incident was reported at 3.07 p.m. Airport In The Sky is a small airport used mostly by general aviation aircraft. It sits atop on a plateau on a 1,600-foot-high mountain, about 10 miles from the only city in the Channel Islands, Avalon.”
January 5, 2014 [nbclosangeles]: “Four miles from Catalina Island, Michael Anthony Naffziger was on a boat with his brother and his brother’s wife when they spotted a small two-seat plane above them with engine problems. Naffziger heard no engine noise then saw the plane plunge into the ocean. "I was just thinking, ‘We’re going to help these people. We’re going to help these people at any cost,’” he said. “Thank God we were there. It was divine intervention.” The boaters pulled the pilot and his passenger out of the water after they were seen clinging to the plane as it floated in the chilly waters. The pilot, David Prizio, who has 40 years experience flying, only suffered a scratch on his face and a broken finger. His passenger was not hurt. They were on their way to Avalon from Chino when the unthinkable happened. “We’re just flying along, cruising towards Catalina," he said. "Things were peachy and the engine just stopped, kind of surged a little bit, then just stopped for good.” Prizio had no other choice but to ditch the plane in the ocean. “Obviously the situation was serious,” he said. “I wouldn't say I freaking out or panicking or anything.” The tail hit the water, the wheels caught and the plane flipped. It went into the air before coming back down. That’s when the boaters, in the right place at the right time, were able to help pull them out of the water and summon authorities. “I’m sure the lord had a hand in this,” Prizio said.”
October 18, 2015 [LAT]: “AVALON — A single-engine Cessna 172 airplane missed the runway while landing at the Catalina Island Airport in the Sky at 4:08 p.m. on Thursday, October1, and fell onto the roadway below. Witnesses said the three people who were in the airplane were able to leave the wreckage on their own. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s and Fire departments were summoned to the scene. The Catalina Island Conservancy operates the Airport in the Sky, and its airport staff and rangers assisted the pilot and two passengers. “We thank our staff for their quick response, and our thoughts are with those who were in the aircraft,” said Tony Budrovich, Conservancy chief operating officer.”
November 29, 2015 [LAT]: “AVALON, CATALINA ISLAND - A small single-engine private aircraft crashed Sunday afternoon, November 29th, while attempting to landat Catalina Island’s Airport In The Sky. The incident occurred around noon. According to airport personnel, the plane ran off the end of the runwayand ended up upside down on the adjacent hillside. Of the four passengers on board, threewere transported to Catalina Island Medical Center, with one reporting back and neck pain, and two reported as having only minor injuries. The fourth passenger was not injured. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s and Fire departments, City of Avalon Fire Department and Catalina Island Conservancy Rangers all responded to the scene. The Catalina Island Conservancy operates the airport.“We would like to thank all the various agencies who responded to yesterday’s incident and our thoughts to the people in the aircraft,” said Tony Budrovich, chief operating officer for the Catalina Island Conservancy.
For additional information, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s and Fire departments.”
February 11, 2020 [patch.com]: “AVALON, CA — A small plane overturned as it landed at Catalina Island Monday, but the pilot and passenger managed to escape unharmed.The Cessna-type aircraft was going too fast when it attempted to land, and it ended up going off a drop at the end of the runway at the Airport in The Sky, Monday afternoon, according to Capt. John Hocking of the Avalon Sheriff's Station. The crash happened at roughly 12:45 p.m. The aircraft overturned, but the passenger and pilot were uninjured and able to climb out and walk up the hill to the runway, according to the sheriff's department.”
February 11, 2020 [LB Post]: “A small plane overshot the runway at Catalina Island, flipped over and landed on its roof in some brush, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities said the plane was landing around 12:45 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10 at Catalina’s Airport in the Sky, which has a notoriously tricky runway that begins at the edge of a cliff. Some pilots compare it to landing on an aircraft carrier. The pilot made it onto the ground, but for some reason, the plane didn’t stop at the end of the runway and drove over the edge of a mountainside embankment before coming to rest, authorities said. “The pilot and the passenger were able to climb out of the damaged plane,” the Avalon Sheriff’s Station said on its Facebook page. “Neither the pilot or the passenger suffered any injuries and there was no fire.” The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate exactly what caused the crash, the LASD said.”
August 2, 2023 [mynewsla.com]: “Pilot Settles Runway Crash Suit With Santa Catalina Island Conservancy. A 76-year-old Fountain Valley man injured during an accident while trying to land his small plane at the Catalina Airport in 2018 has settled his premises liability lawsuit against the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy. Attorneys for plaintiff Edward Martell filed court papers on Monday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kerry Bensinger notifying him of the accord. No terms were divulged. The case had been awaiting a retrial because on April 5, Judge Frederick C. Shaller, who presided over the first trial, declared a mistrial when juror illnesses reduced it to 10 and the attorneys disagreed regarding whether they should proceed with that many panel members. According to the suit, Martell was injured while trying to land his 1979 Piper PA-32 300 Cherokee aircraft in 2018 at the Catalina Airport when the plane went over a hillside on July 25, 2018. Martell alleged the runway was in poor condition, but the conservancy maintained he was injured by his own pilot negligence. “Despite having experience with multiple previous landings at the airport, plaintiff inexplicably gave himself very little room to land and thereafter did not fully apply the brakes on the aircraft,” according to the conservancy attorneys’ court papers, which further state that Martell admitted that he intentionally landed far down the runway due to his concerns with the condition of the runway asphalt. Martell obtained his pilot’s license in 1997 and had logged about 2,100 flight hours by the time of the accident. He kept his aircraft at the Fullerton Airport, which has a runway length similar to that of the Catalina Airport. Martell had landed at the Catalina Airport four to five times previously and encountered “lots of patches,” but never before felt the poor condition of the runway affected his ability to safely land and control his aircraft, according to the complaint. However, other pilots had told Martell that the runway conditions had worsened since his last visit to the island, the suit stated. “It became evident to Mr. Martell that he was not going to be able to safely stop his plane without endangering his passengers and damaging his aircraft,” the suit states. So, Martell went to full power, pulled back on the stick and tried to take off, but the worsening conditions near the end of the runway affected his ability to control his aircraft and liftoff and his plane went off the end of the runway and crashed 600 feet down the mountain, according to the suit.”
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Santa Catalina Island, October 8, 2024
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October 9, 2024 [LAT]: “5 dead in Catalina Island plane crash; investigation underway. Five people are dead after a twin-engine plane crashed on Catalina Island on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. Just after 8 p.m., deputies at the sheriff’s Avalon station on the island received a 911 emergency notification from a cellphone alerting them that the plane had been in a collision involving injuries and sent them GPS coordinates, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release. Crews from Avalon and the L.A. County fire and sheriff’s departments joined in a search and found the plane about a mile west of Catalina Airport, according to the release. The Beechcraft 95 had departed the airport with five people on board moments before it crashed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Five adults were found dead at the scene, the Sheriff’s Department said. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.”
August 30, 2026 [mynewsla.com]: “A REACH Air Medical Services medical helicopter crash off Catalina Island on September 30, 2026, resulted in three fatalities and two survivors.”
Steven “Steve” Robinson (59) – Pilot (former Marine Corps helicopter pilot)
Catalina Hernandez Romero (45) – Patient being transported for a severe allergic reaction
