Beloved local pilot among 5 killed 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 left five people dead.

Santa Monica Airport has since issued a statement sending its heartfelt condolences to the families of all five people who were killed, including the pilot who was well known at the airport. In fact, this is where they were heading when the plane went down.

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

Deputies say an iPhone sent the 911 SOS emergency notification. It was equipped with crash detection that alerted authorities that there had been a hard bump. 

Crews went to the area where the alert went off and found the wreckage. 

Recovery efforts are now focused in that area. In the meantime, neighbors and loved ones of one of the pilot are in shock. 

The owner of the aircraft, Ali Safai, 73, of West Hills, was described by those who knew him as a "kind soul." 

"He was a pilot. He taught people. Wonderful human being. Great father. It's very sad. You see this on the news. You never think it's going to be your neighbor. And this is just horrible," one woman said.

"He was a super kind old soul. And yeah, he just loved helping people. He was going to help me a little bit on some ground stuff and he was just a very nice person," another said. 

Safai had been a flight instructor at a now defunct aviation school at Santa Monica Airport. 

The other four victims have been identified as Ali Haris, 33, of Fullerton; Margaret Mary Fenner, 55; and two men both in their 30s.