SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Former Santa Monica Mayor Rex Minter was killed Thursday when a small plane crashed and overturned on the coast.
Minter and the pilot were in the single-engine Cessna when it crashed just after 3 p.m. in front of beachgoers near the busy Santa Monica Pier.
The pilot’s condition is unknown.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot made an emergency landing after reporting engine problems. The agency said the plane had just departed from Santa Monica Airport.
AIR7 HD was above the scene as crews worked to move the Cessna from the shore. Video obtained by Eyewitness News shows the moment the plane hit the waves and flipped onto the sand.
Current Santa Monica Mayor Gleam Davis confirmed Minter’s death on social media Thursday night.
“The city is grateful for Mr. Minter’s public service and we join his family in mourning his passing,” the city said in a statement. “Flags outside City Hall will be flown at half-mast and the City Council meeting will be adjourned in the new year to honor Miner’s service.”
Born in 1927, Minter was elected to the Santa Monica City Council in 1955 and served as mayor from 1963 to 1967.
He also served as city attorney for Arcadia and as a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The cause of the accident is being investigated by the National Office for Transport Safety.
