Sean M. McMillan, 70, an attorney with Century City-based firm of Greenberg Traurig, was killed while trying to guide his damaged aircraft back to the Santa Monica Airport after declaring an emergency shortly after takeoff.
“The single-engine Cessna 210 was returning to Santa Monica Airport,” said Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Ian Gregor.
The plane came down near the intersection of Westwood and Olympic boulevards. It did not hit any buildings despite crashing in a neighborhood dense with homes.
“I know for a fact Sean would have aimed his airplane at the last moment for an empty street,” said McMillian’s neighbor, Charlie Fredricy.
According to the FAA, McMillan radioed the Santa Monica tower and made a request to return to the airport for an unspecified emergency minutes before the plane went down.
“The plane flew around for an unknown period of time, and was coming back to land when the accident occurred,” said Gregor.
“The plane is pretty well destroyed,” said Assistant Chief Andy Fox, with Los Angeles Fire Department. “There are some remnants of a wing, some remnants of a nose section.”
Witnesses reported the plane was flying at slight angle just above the treetops. The engine was not running. The high-wing plane narrowly missed high-voltage lines before it hit a palm tree and burst into flames. No one on the ground was injured.
“I was at dinner when my wife called and said a plane crashed on our street,” said Mark Wellington. “I didn’t know what to think, I rushed home, hoping that my family was safe.”
Investigators said it may take months to find probable cause to explain why the plane went down.
McMillan was a veteran pilot who volunteered his time and use of his plane to take ill children to hospitals on behalf of the nonprofit Angel Flight.
Neighbors at the crash site said they were grateful that McMillan’s plane missed hitting any homes and any people on the ground.
“We’re lucky and thankful. He must have been an experienced pilot to do what he did,” said West LA resident Louis Litsa.
A hand-written card left at the scene said “I watched your last few second of life, and I prayed for you. I saw you saved lives by your effort.”