New details are emerging about the fatal plane crash on Catalina Island that killed five people

The pilot of a small plane that crashed shortly after takeoff from Santa Catalina Island in October, killing all five people on board, ignored warnings to stay on the ground. A new report reveals more details about the reasons.

The twin-engine Beechcraft 95 crashed just after 8 p.m. on Oct. 8. A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane needed to be recharged before takeoff, pushing the departure time past sunset, when flights are not due due to a lack of runway lighting. But the pilot ignored the airport manager and took off anyway, hitting a ridge shortly after takeoff. However, the NTSB report fails to determine the exact cause of the crash.

How it developed

According to the report released earlier this week, an instructor pilot and two student pilots were preparing to depart from Catalina Island Airport when their planes malfunctioned. When they contacted the Santa Monica flight school where they had rented the plane, they were told that another plane would be sent to pick them up.

The airport manager gave the pilot permission to land at Catalina Island Airport after hours, but informed him that he had to depart with the stranded passengers before sunset at 6:31 p.m

The airport closes at 5:00 p.m. and night operations are not permitted as there are no runway lights. But the plane landed at 6:20 p.m. and was unable to take off when it attempted to take off because the battery needed to be charged. Because it would take time to recharge the plane, the airport manager informed the pilots that their takeoff after sunset would not be approved.

“The pilot/aircraft owner informed the airport manager that he had to leave and intended to depart anyway. The airport manager informed him that although he could not stop him, his departure would be without authorization and at his own risk,” the report said.

Since the flight was operated as a “private flight” Under federal regulations, it was not illegal for the pilot to take off without authorization. The airport manager told investigators he heard the departure from his home around 8 p.m. and the plane crashed at 8:05 p.m

The aircraft struck a ridge approximately one mile southwest of the runway, with wreckage found approximately 450 feet west of where the initial impact occurred.

The LA County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims: Ali Safai, 73; Margaret Fenner, 55; Haris Ali, 33; Gonzalo Lubel, 34; and Joeun Park, 37.