5 dead after small plane crashes on Catalina Island

Five people are dead after a small plane crashed on Catalina Island off the California coast on Tuesday, officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday the twin-engine Beechcraft 95 crashed shortly after it departed from Catalina Airport in Avalon at around 8 p.m.

Soon after, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said their Avalon station received a 911 emergency notification from a cell phone indicating that its user had been involved in a collision with possible injuries and provided GPS coordinates.

A joint search and rescue team comprised of Avalon station deputies, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Avalon Search and Rescue and Avalon City Fire Department members found the plane about a mile west of Catalina Airport, according to the Sheriff’s Department’s news release.

The five adults were found dead at the scene, the release said. The names of the victims, their relation to one another and the flight’s destination were not released.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement that they will investigate the crash. The NTSB will request radar data, weather information, maintenance records and the pilot’s medical records.

The NTSB also said a preliminary report containing factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation is expected to be released within 30 days, while a final report including a probable cause of the crash won’t be disclosed for 12 to 24 months.