NTSB: Pilot Ignored Night Takeoff Warning in Fatal Catalina Crash

Incident unfolded after a flight instructor and two student pilots became stranded at the airport due to a magneto malfunction in their rental aircraft.

Amelia Walsh

Friday, November 08, 2024 at 04:05 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

Catalina Airport (KAVX), also known as the Airport in the Sky. [Photo: Jeff Berlin]

Key Takeaways:

A fatal Beechcraft crash at Catalina Airport occurred after the pilot took off in dark conditions, explicitly ignoring warnings and airport regulations that prohibit night operations due to a lack of runway lighting.
The incident stemmed from a rescue mission delayed by an engine issue, leading the pilot to depart around 8:04 p.m., hours after the airport's 5 p.m. closing and sundown, despite multiple warnings from the airport manager.
Flight data and video showed the aircraft descending shortly after takeoff, maintaining a low altitude before crashing into a ravine, with the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the exact cause still ongoing.

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Investigators released new details surrounding the fatal crash of a Beechcraft 95-B55 at Catalina Airport (KAVX) in California on October 8, revealing that the pilot ignored warnings about not taking off after dark.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) preliminary report states that the incident unfolded after a flight instructor and two student pilots became stranded at Catalina due to a magneto malfunction in their rental aircraft. They contacted the flight school, and another aircraft was dispatched from Santa Monica Municipal Airport (KSMO) to pick them up.