Santa Monica-bound Plane Crashes, 2 Killed

By Jorge Casuso

February 15 -- The wreckage of a plane bound for Santa Monica -- along with the bodies of its pilot and passenger -- was found near Gorman Saturday morning, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane, which was bound from Fresno, had crashed last Thursday after losing contact with the control tower.

The victims were identified as Santa Monica-based pilot Douglas Damon Smith, 29, and passenger Arnold Marvin Dubin, 53, of Calabasas, according to the Kern County Coroner's office.

The small Cesna took off from Fresno's airport and disappeared from the radar at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, said Kristi Dunks, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board.

"I haven't reviewed the data myself," said Dunks. "We're just starting the investigation here."

The plane was found near Lebec by Kern County Sheriff's deputies Saturday at 10 a.m. The department had been searching the Bakersfield area for the plane all day Friday, according to press reports.

Smith, a charter pilot from Santa Monica, picked up Dubin at the Fresno Air Terminal Thursday evening, according to press reports.

The pilot called the control tower reporting turbulence before losing contact, according to a report in the Bakersfield Californian.

Smith was a pilot for Action Air Express based at Santa Monica Airport, according to airport officials.

"He was a real young guy, a real outgoing guy, a real cool guy. That's what everyone always said," said Matt Majoli, operations and noise manager for the airport.

"It was a real loss for sure," he said.