Plane’s Engine Faulted in Crash

Engine failure was the likely cause for the crash of a single- engine plane off the coast of Santa Monica on March 13 that killed former television game show host Peter Tomarken and his wife, Kathleen, according to a preliminary investigative report.

Tomarken, 63, was piloting his 1973 Beechcraft A36 on a voluntary medical mission when he reported engine trouble shortly after takeoff and attempted to return to Santa Monica Airport.

Beachgoers reported seeing the plane splash into the ocean just south of the Santa Monica Pier minutes later.

The preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates plane crashes, describes extensive damage to the plane’s six-cylinder engine, including an 8-inch-by-6-inch hole in the engine case between two of the cylinders.

The six-seat aircraft had lap belts but no shoulder harnesses, the report found.

“It seems very clear this will be considered a mechanical failure of the engine,” said Robert Ditchey, an aeronautical engineer from Marina del Rey who reviewed the preliminary report and has investigated crashes in the past.

“It’s way too soon to guess what the initial failure was, though it seems to be the connecting rod in the No. 2 cylinder.”

It is not unusual for an engine to fail, Ditchey said, and pilots of single-engine aircraft should always be cautious of flying over water.

“You want to be able to glide to a safe landing,” said the former Navy pilot and airline executive. “If you’re at 400 feet, you only have a few seconds.”

Tomarken’s plane was seen by a Santa Monica lifeguard about 400 feet above the water, descending rapidly, the report states.

When the plane crashed seconds later, it was still about 250 yards offshore, in about 20 feet of water, the investigation found.

Tomarken and his 41-year-old wife were en route to San Diego, where they were scheduled to pick up a patient for transport to UCLA Medical Center. The trip was part of the volunteer program Angel Flight, which provides flights to those unable to afford medical transportation.

Tomarken had volunteered for the group since August, after a long career in television that included being the host of several game shows in the 1980s. The most popular, “Press Your Luck,” was known for the pesky cartoon character “Whammy” who taunted contestants.