3 Walk Away From Plane Crash on Santa Catalina
A sudden down-draft caused a small plane approaching the private airport on Santa Catalina Island to crash into mountainous terrain Saturday, injuring the pilot and two passengers, who walked away from the damaged plane, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said.
Deputy Detta Roberts said the accident happened about 4:30 p.m. as the plane, a Stinson high-wing craft, was making a north-to-south approach to the Airport in the Sky, which perches on steep bluffs.
“It came short of the runway and struck the top of the mountain,” Roberts said.
The plane stopped 150 yards short of the runway and settled in a gully, Deputy Bill Wehner said. The pilot was identified as David Waterman, 39, of Santa Fe Springs and the two passengers as Veronica Barrio, 24, of Cypress and Phyllis Rapier, 39, of Alhambra.
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