ISRAELI ACTOR GUY KAPULNIK KILLED IN CALIFORNIA PLANE CRASH AS TRIBUTES POUR IN

Israeli actor and flight instructor Guy Kapulnik has died at the age of 46 after the small plane he was piloting crashed into a field in California.

Kapulnik was killed alongside his passenger, 33-year-old Taylor Laska, when the single-engine aircraft went down near Hesperia Airport in San Bernardino County.

Both people aboard the aircraft were pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash happened on Thursday, September 24, after emergency services were called to the Summit Valley Road area at around 9:53 a.m. local time following reports of a plane going down.

Responders found the wreckage in a shrub-covered field near the airport. The aircraft was identified as an Aeronca 7AC Champion, a small single-engine plane.

GUY KAPULNIK IDENTIFIED AS THE PILOT

San Bernardino County authorities identified Kapulnik as the pilot and Laska as the passenger.

Laska, a 33-year-old resident of Santa Monica, also died in the crash. Authorities have not publicly established whether she had any personal or professional relationship with Kapulnik.

The aircraft was reportedly associated with Midfield Aviation, a flight school and aircraft rental company based at nearby Apple Valley Airport.

Kapulnik had been working as a flight instructor in Los Angeles after building a career in acting.

The cause of the crash has not been established.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident. A preliminary FAA report listed the circumstances as unknown.

FROM ACTING TO AVIATION

Kapulnik was known in Israel for his work in film, television and theatre.

Among his best-known appearances was the 2009 Israeli war drama Lebanon, directed by Samuel Maoz. The film went on to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

He also appeared in productions including Room 514 and Salsa Tel Aviv, as well as theatre projects.

According to Israeli reports, Kapulnik had been fascinated by aviation from a young age.

After moving to California, flying gradually became another major part of his life.

He obtained his private pilot’s licence in 2015 and later became a certified flight instructor, teaching other aspiring pilots.

His family said aviation had become one of his great passions in recent years.

They remembered him as someone who loved adventure and repeatedly chose new paths in life.

“A TALENTED ACTOR AND AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON”

Tributes began appearing after news of Kapulnik’s death spread.

His former acting agent, Zohar Jacobson, described him as “a talented actor and an extraordinary person.”

She also remembered him as intelligent, sensitive and modest, with a generous heart.

Students and friends from his aviation career also paid tribute to him.

According to his family and Israeli reports, many of those he taught remembered him not only for his knowledge of flying but for the enthusiasm he brought to aviation.

His family described him as a man of action, curiosity and adventure — someone whose life moved between acting, the sea and the skies.

A LIFE ACROSS DIFFERENT WORLDS

Kapulnik’s life had taken him through several very different careers.

He graduated from the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Jerusalem and also held a degree in information systems from the Technion.

Before establishing himself in acting and aviation, he had served as an officer in Israel’s 669 search-and-rescue unit, according to Israeli reports.

His family said he was also passionate about the sea and was an experienced sailor.

After moving to Los Angeles, he continued pursuing creative work while building his second career in aviation.

That combination of interests made his life unusual: an actor and creator who later became a pilot and instructor.

SURVIVED BY HIS FAMILY

Kapulnik is survived by his wife and three children, according to reports about his death.

His family is now grieving the loss of a man they described as adventurous, curious and constantly willing to explore a new direction.

Friends, former colleagues and aviation students have also shared memories as tributes continue to spread.

For those who knew him through his acting career, he will be remembered from the screen.

For the students he taught, he will be remembered from the cockpit and the lessons he gave them.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

Authorities have not announced what caused the aircraft to crash.

Investigators from the FAA and NTSB are working to establish what happened before the Aeronca Champion went down near Hesperia Airport.

At this stage, there is no publicly confirmed explanation for why the aircraft crashed.

As investigators begin examining the wreckage and circumstances of the flight, Kapulnik’s family and friends are left mourning a man whose career took him from the Israeli film industry to the skies over California.

He was 46.

Taylor Laska was 33.

Both lives were lost in the September 24 crash, and the investigation into what happened continues.