Two Aircraft Collide Near Malibu

Authorities in Malibu (CA) have recovered the remains of three people who were lost in a midair collision over the beach on Sunday. Both went down over the El Matador State Beach.

"One plane crashed on the shoreline; the other crashed in the water about 100 yards offshore, in 15 feet of water," Capt. Mark Savage of the Los Angeles County Fire Department told the LA Daily News. "One victim was ejected from the aircraft and landed on the beach. Some remains of a person from the other aircraft landed on the beach as well."

One of the aircraft, a Thorp T-18 (file photo of type, above), carried two people. The FAA said that flight originated in Torrance. It impacted the water and came to rest in a bed of kelp just offshore. The other plane, a Citabria 7ECA from Santa Paula (file photo of type, below), went down in the surf. Initial report said there were also two people on board that aircraft.

Divers found two bodies inside the Thorp, according to the Daily News. A third body washed up on shore. The search continues for a fourth.

"We heard this bang," said Peter Colley of Woodland Hills, who was boogie boarding during the collision. Colley told the Daily News that "we looked up and saw one aircraft spiraling toward the water with part of one wing broken off."

FAA Preliminary Accident Reports

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 7618T        Make/Model: EXP       Description: EXP- THORP T-18 HOME BUILT
  Date: 08/22/2004     Time: 0030

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: Y    Missing:
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: MALIBU                      State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  MID AIR COLLISSION APPROX 100 FT OFFSHORE.  N7618T, A THORP T-18 HOME
  BUILT, COLLIDED WITH N53879, A BELLANCA 7ECA, 2 MI NORTH OF ZUMA BEACH,
  MALIBU, CA.  FOUR FATAL.  N53879 WASHED UP ON SHORE WITH ONE OCCUPANT.  THE
  THORP IS SUBMERGED IN 15 FT OF WATER WITH TWO FATALITIES.  MALIBU, CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1      Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:           Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: KSMO 230051Z AUTO 24012G16KT 10SM CLR 21/14 A2988                          
                                                                                    
                                                        

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation

  Destination: UNKN                     Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNKN
  Last Clearance: UNKN

  FAA FSDO: LOS ANGELES, CA  (WP23)               Entry date: 08/23/2004

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 53879        Make/Model: CH7A      Description: 7ACA/ECA CHAMP, CITABRIA
  Date: 08/22/2004     Time: 0030

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: Y    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: MALIBU                      State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  MID AIR COLLISSION APPROX 100 FT OFFSHORE.  N7618T, A THORP T-18 HOME
  BUILT, COLLIDED WITH N53879, A BELLANCA 7ECA, 2 MI NORTH OF ZUMA BEACH,
  MALIBU, CA.  FOUR FATAL.  N53879 WASHED UP ON SHORE WITH ONE OCCUPANT.  THE
  THORP IS SUBMERGED IN 15 FT OF WATER WITH TWO FATALITIES.  MALIBU, CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1      Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:           Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: KSMO 230051Z AUTO 24012G16KT 10SM CLR 21/14 A2988                           

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Cruise      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed: UNKN                        Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: UNKN                     Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNKN
  Last Clearance: UNKN

  FAA FSDO: LOS ANGELES, CA  (WP23)               Entry date: 08/23/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov