Beloved local pilot among five dead in Catalina Island plane crash

LOS ANGELES – The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into Tuesday night’s plane crash on Catalina Island that killed five people.

Santa Monica Airport has since released a statement expressing its deepest condolences to the families of all five people killed, including the pilot, who was well known here at the airport. In fact, they were heading there when the plane crashed.

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The twin-engine Beechcraft 95-B55 took off from Catalina Airport in Avalon on Tuesday around 8 p.m. Less than a minute later, it crashed about a mile from launch.

Officials say an iPhone sent the 911 SOS emergency alert. It was equipped with crash detection that alerted authorities to a hard impact.

Emergency crews went to the area where the alarm went off and found the wreckage.

Recovery efforts are now focused on this area. Meanwhile, neighbors and relatives of one of the people on board – the pilot – are in shock.

The plane’s owner, Ali Safai of West Hills, was described as a “kind soul” by those who knew him.

“He was a pilot. He taught people. Wonderful person. Great father. It’s very sad. You see that in the news. You never think it will be your neighbor. And that’s just terrible,” said one woman.

“He was a super kind old soul. And yes, he just loved helping people. He wanted to help me a little with some things locally and he was just a very nice person,” said another.

Safai was a flight instructor at a now-defunct flight school at Santa Monica Airport.

Meanwhile, recovery efforts will resume Thursday morning.