Introduction
On October 8, 2024, at 2005 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 95-B55, registered as N73WA, was destroyed in an accident near Avalon, California. The pilot, two pilot-rated passengers, and two student pilot passengers were fatally injured. The aircraft was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Background
Earlier that afternoon, a flight instructor and two student pilots were preparing to depart Catalina Airport (AVX) in a rented single-engine airplane. During preflight, a magneto malfunction prevented departure. The stranded pilots contacted their flight school, which arranged for another airplane—the accident aircraft—to fly from Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) to pick them up.
Catalina Airport is a non-towered airport situated on a flat plateau with descending terrain at both runway ends. Its elevation is 1,601 ft mean sea level. Operating hours are 0800–1700, and the single concrete runway, 4/22, lacks lighting; night operations are not permitted.
Flight Details
The flight school indicated that the accident aircraft was not operated by the school but belonged to an acquaintance of the school's owner. The airport manager gave permission for the aircraft to land after hours but required departure before sundown at 1831. The airplane landed at AVX at 1820. After boarding the stranded pilots, the crew attempted to restart the engines, but the right engine would not start due to insufficient battery power. An extension cord was attached to an onboard battery charger.
The airport manager informed the pilots that since battery charging would extend beyond sunset, a post-sunset departure would not be approved. The pilot/airplane owner stated his intention to depart regardless. The manager advised that while he could not stop him, the departure would be unapproved and at the pilot's own risk. The manager then left for his residence. Around 2000, he heard what sounded like a normal departure.
Accident Sequence
Airport security video captured the aircraft taking off on runway 22 at about 2004. Dark night conditions were present. The video could not discern whether the aircraft was airborne before reaching the end of the runway; it then descended out of view. Preliminary ADS-B data indicated the aircraft may have become airborne around the runway midpoint and maintained low altitude. It showed a slight descent after takeoff followed by a right turn until data ended about 0.6 miles west of the departure end of runway 22.
The aircraft impacted the east face of a ridgeline about 0.7 miles west of the last ADS-B target and 0.96 miles west-southwest of the departure end at an elevation of about 1,230 ft msl. Ground scars indicated an impact heading of 280° with wings level and landing gear extended. The main wreckage came to rest in a ravine about 450 ft west of the initial impact point.
Wreckage and Conditions
The wreckage was recovered and transported to a secure location for examination. The airport manager reported clear skies from the surface upward and a light north-northwest breeze perpendicular to the runway. About one hour post-accident, he observed cloud tops approximately 200 ft below airport elevation off the departure end; the wreckage was located below those cloud tops.