Cessna 310 Went Down On Takeoff

A Cessna 310 went down just after takeoff Sunday on Catalina Island of the California coast. Media reports indicated that three people were injured, two seriously. However, FAA records show only two people injured in the accident.

The official FAA report posted online Monday indicates that the plane attempted to take off at 1530 local time on Sunday from the airport in Avalon on Santa Catalina Island. The Long Beach Press-Telegram reports that three people from the accident were reportedly taken to Torrance Memorial Hospital with burns, and that two people had been burned severely. FAA records show that the 310, registered to Sabovich and Sons of Arroyo Grande, CA, was manufactured in 1956. The company is a contstruction firm.

The accident reportedly started about a three-acre brush fire, which was extinguished by local fire fighters. The names of those on board the aircraft were not released.

The Associated Press reports that the pilot told authorities he had come from Santa Ana, CA to pick up two passengers. He said the airplane's left engine failed just after takeoff and the plane went down about a half-mile southeast of Airport in the Sky (KAVX).

1956 Cessna 310 File Photo

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 310XX        Make/Model: C310      Description: 310, T310 (U-3, L-27)
  Date: 10/03/2010     Time: 2230

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Serious     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: AVALON   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF, CRASHED OFF THE AIRPORT, SANTA CATALINA ISLAND,
  AVALON, CA

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

WEATHER: KAUS 032234Z AUTO 24011KT 1SM BR VV002 17/14 A2999

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: LONG BEACH, CA  (WP05)            Entry date: 10/04/2010

FMI: www.faa.gov