Catalina Island Helicopter Crash Kills 3, Including Marine One Pilot

A former U.S. Marine Corps pilot who once flew Marine One in support of a sitting president was among three people killed when a medical helicopter plunged into the Pacific Ocean shortly after departing Catalina Island on Wednesday night.

Steven “Steve” Robinson, 59, was at the controls of the REACH Air Medical Services aircraft during the fatal flight. The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office confirmed his death alongside two others: Jessica deVries, a 48-year-old flight nurse, and Catalina Romero, a 45-year-old Avalon resident who had suffered a severe allergic reaction requiring emergency transport to the mainland.

Five people were aboard the helicopter when it went down. Brad Sparks, a second flight nurse employed by REACH, survived and remains under medical care. The other survivor is Romero’s eldest son, who was accompanying his mother for the emergency transfer.

The crash underscores the inherent risks of aeromedical operations over open water, particularly during nighttime departures from island communities with limited infrastructure. Catalina Island, located roughly 22 miles off the Southern California coast, relies heavily on helicopters and ferries for emergency medical evacuations because its sole hospital cannot handle critical trauma or complex acute care. Night flights over the ocean eliminate visual horizon references, forcing crews to rely entirely on instruments — a demanding environment even for highly experienced aviators.

Robinson’s background placed him among the most credentialed rotorcraft pilots in the country. Before joining REACH, he served as a Marine Corps helicopter pilot assigned to the squadron responsible for transporting the commander in chief. His family described him as a devoted husband and father whose life was defined by service.

deVries brought extensive prehospital experience to the flight. She previously worked for the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District as both an EMS flight nurse and a nurse educator, training other first responders in advanced aeromedical care. The department issued a statement Friday evening recognizing her lasting impact on students, coworkers, and patients across the organization.

Romero, a Mexican immigrant who worked in the island’s hospitality industry, was being evacuated because her allergic reaction exceeded the treatment capabilities available in Avalon. A fundraising campaign launched by one of her sons to cover funeral expenses and related costs surpassed $48,000 by Friday night. Her family remembered her as a hardworking mother dedicated to providing for her children.

Official causes of death for Robinson and deVries have been deferred pending further examination by the medical examiner’s office.

The National Transportation Safety Board leads investigations into all civil aviation accidents in the United States, examining mechanical systems, maintenance logs, weather data, and crew communications to determine probable cause. Federal investigators are currently working to recover wreckage and analyze flight data from the REACH helicopter to reconstruct the sequence of events following its departure from the island.