ISRAELI ACTOR GUY KAPULNIK AND PASSENGER TAYLOR LASKA KILLED IN CALIFORNIA PLANE CRASH AS TRIBUTES POUR IN

Israeli actor and flight instructor Guy Kapulnik, 46, and passenger Taylor Laska, 33, have died after a small aircraft crashed in Southern California.

The single-engine plane went down near Hesperia Airport in San Bernardino County, California, on Thursday, September 24, leaving both people on board dead.

Authorities identified Kapulnik as the pilot and Laska as the passenger. Kapulnik was a Los Angeles resident, while Laska lived in Santa Monica.

PLANE CRASHED NEAR HESPERIA AIRPORT

Emergency services were called at around 9:53am local time following reports of an aircraft crash in the area of Summit Valley Road and Telephone Canyon Road, roughly a few miles from Hesperia Airport.

Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft descend before it struck the ground in an open, brush-covered field.

Firefighters arriving at the scene found the aircraft in a nose-down position. Both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.

The aircraft was identified as a single-engine Aeronca 7AC Champion, an aircraft dating from 1946. It was reportedly associated with Midfield Aviation, a company based at nearby Apple Valley Airport that provides flight training and aircraft rental services.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

A preliminary FAA report listed the circumstances of the accident as unknown, and no official cause has been announced.

GUY KAPULNIK HAD TWO PASSIONS — ACTING AND AVIATION

Kapulnik was known in Israel as an actor before building a second career in aviation.

He appeared in a number of films and television productions, including the 2009 Israeli war film “Lebanon,” which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

He also appeared in productions including “Room 514,” “Salsa Tel Aviv” and “Watch Over Me.”

After moving to the United States, Kapulnik continued working in the entertainment industry while developing his passion for flying.

According to reports, he obtained his private pilot’s licence in 2015 and later became a certified flight instructor, teaching other people how to fly in the Los Angeles area.

His family said aviation had become an important part of his life in recent years.

They remembered him as a person who constantly sought new experiences and described him as “a man of action, curiosity and adventure.”

Kapulnik had also studied at the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Jerusalem and earned a degree in information systems from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR THE ACTOR AND PILOT

News of Kapulnik’s death prompted tributes from people who knew him through both acting and aviation.

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

She remembered him as intelligent, sensitive and modest, adding that he had a huge heart.

People who had learned to fly with Kapulnik also shared tributes online.

One former student described him as his flight instructor and thanked him for teaching him how to fly.

Another tribute described him as a great person who would be deeply missed.

His family said his life had moved between different worlds — from acting and filmmaking to the sea and aviation.

They described him as an actor, creator, skipper and pilot who repeatedly chose new paths and pursued the things he loved.

HE LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN

Kapulnik is survived by his wife and three children.

His death has also prompted tributes from his family and friends in Israel, where he was remembered not only for his work as an actor but also for his adventurous personality and love of aviation.

A memorial service was scheduled to take place in his home community in Israel.

PASSENGER TAYLOR LASKA ALSO DIED

The passenger, Taylor Laska, 33, was identified by the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office as a resident of Santa Monica.

Authorities have not publicly established what relationship, if any, existed between Laska and Kapulnik.

Both died at the crash scene.

At this stage, investigators have not released information indicating why the aircraft went down.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

The FAA and NTSB are now working to determine what happened during the flight.

The crash site was located approximately 2.5 to three miles from Hesperia Airport, depending on the reference point used by local reports.

Investigators have not announced a mechanical failure, weather issue or other specific explanation for the crash.

For now, the official cause remains unknown.

The tragedy has left two families mourning while friends, former colleagues and students remember Kapulnik for the different careers and passions he pursued throughout his life.

From the film industry to the cockpit, the 46-year-old built a life around creativity, adventure and aviation — before his final flight ended in tragedy in a field near Hesperia.