According to CBS NEWS, A single-engine plane made an emergency landing on Santa Monica beach just south of the iconic pier Thursday afternoon. The passenger, former Santa Monica Mayor Rex Minter, was later confirmed dead. The unidentified pilot was hospitalized in unknown condition.
The plane was found upside down on the shoreline after it departed out of Santa Monica Airport at around 3 p.m. Thursday, crashing after just nine minutes in the air.
According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, there were two people trapped in the plane. Authorities said that one of the passengers suffered a cardiac emergency.
Late Thursday evening, it was confirmed by current Santa Monica Mayor Gleam Davis that former mayor Rex H. Minter died in the crash. Minter served as the city’s mayor from 1963 to 1967.
The unidentified pilot was hospitalized in unknown condition.
Cellphone video from the scene showed the plane slowly descending toward the shoreline before slamming into the sand and water, flipping over and settling upside down.
According to the flight recording, the pilot originally planned to fly to Malibu but began experiencing engine trouble near the Pacific Palisades.
The pilot attempted to return to Santa Monica Airport but was forced to make an emergency landing on the shoreline near the pier.
“Landing on the beach is at your own risk,” the air traffic controller said as the plane neared the shoreline, to which the pilot responded, “I wish I had another choice.”
As they waited for federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration to arrive, local crews pulled the plane farther up the beach so it would not be impacted by the tide.
No beachgoers were injured during the crash.
Witnesses couldn’t believe what they had seen during what was a serene day at the beach.
“I’m absolutely blown away, I see a plane in the middle of Santa Monica,” said Tino Valdez, one of the many people still on the beach when the plane crashed. “I was with my girlfriend and we were just coming down to the sunset. It was crazy. Never seen anything like this.”
We extend our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the Former Santa Monica Mayor Rex Minter in this crash during this very difficult time.
When individuals are harmed or killed in traffic accidents, and another party is at fault, full compensation is not always granted, despite the circumstances. Skilled legal representation from a car or truck accident attorney or plane crash is typically a must in these situations.
Photo credit: CBS NEWS
Legal Defenders at the Law Offices of Burg and Brock has helped countless families and individuals obtain the compensation they need to deal with expenses and move on with their lives. For a police report or other information, call us today at (818) 405-9091.
What California law says after a car accident
Who may bring a wrongful death claim in California
When a collision results in death, California law allows specific family members to bring a wrongful death claim. The categories are defined by statute and generally include a surviving spouse or domestic partner, children, and, where there is no surviving spouse or issue, others who would be entitled to the property of the person who died. Certain dependents, including a putative spouse, stepchildren, or parents who were financially dependent, may also qualify.
A wrongful death claim compensates surviving family members for their own losses, including financial support, funeral and burial expenses, and the loss of the companionship, guidance, and society the person provided.
A separate claim, called a survival action, covers losses the person themselves sustained before death, such as medical expenses and lost earnings. California law changed here. For survival actions filed on or after January 1, 2026, damages for the decedent’s own pain, suffering, or disfigurement are no longer recoverable. Cases filed before that date are not affected, and different rules can apply in elder abuse matters.
Eligibility depends on family circumstances, filing deadlines are strict, and the damages available depend in part on when a case is filed.
Reporting requirements after a California collision
California imposes reporting duties on drivers that are separate from any insurance claim.
A report must be filed with the DMV on form SR-1 within ten days of a collision that caused any injury, any death, or more than one thousand dollars in property damage to any one person. This duty applies regardless of fault, applies even when police responded and wrote their own report, and is not satisfied by notifying an insurance company. With current repair costs, most collisions that involve a body shop meet the damage threshold.
A separate rule covers collisions causing injury or death. The driver must make a written report to the California Highway Patrol, or to the city police department where the collision happened in a city, within twenty four hours. The statute states this duty for every injury or fatal collision. In practice, where officers responded and completed a report at the scene, that report generally satisfies the agency’s need, but a driver who assumes this without confirming it is relying on practice rather than on the text of the law.
Missing the DMV deadline can lead to suspension of driving privileges, an outcome unrelated to who caused the collision.
Information for Families After a Fatal Collision
Losing a family member in a collision raises urgent legal questions, often long before anyone feels ready to ask them. These guides set out the basics, with no obligation attached.
- California wrongful death attorney: who may file, the deadlines that apply, and what a claim covers
- Los Angeles car accident lawyer: fault, insurance offers, and what a claim is worth
- All practice areas