CALIFORNIA — May 8, 2026
The family of a Southern California pilot has confirmed that their loved one was killed in the plane crash believed to have ignited the Canyon Fire in the El Paso Mountains near Ridgecrest.
The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Ramzi Al-Shurman, a flight instructor and father of three.
According to the New York Post, the aircraft involved is suspected to be a 2006 Cessna 182T with the tail number N227TF.
FlightAware data indicates the plane took off from Inyokern Airport at 10:47 a.m. on Thursday, but the radar signal disappeared just seven minutes later.
The final GPS coordinates almost exactly match the ignition point of the Canyon Fire.
The fire has currently scorched more than 2,000 acres of land in the El Paso Mountains area south of Ridgecrest.
While the Kern County Fire Department has not yet officially confirmed the plane crash, fire officials stated that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The family has established a GoFundMe page to support his wife, Nadeen Al-Shurman, and their three young children following this sudden tragedy.
The fundraising page reads:
“Nadeen’s world was turned upside down when her husband, Ramzi, died in a plane crash.”
The family shared that Ramzi had recently graduated from a pilot training program and was only 10 days away from starting his:
“dream job”
as a private airline pilot.
In an Instagram post last week, Ramzi wrote:
“Hearing my mom cry over the phone when she found out I had an interview for a pilot position made all the struggles worth it.”
He also referred to becoming a pilot as his:
“childhood dream.”
The family support fund has currently raised nearly $47,000 toward a $100,000 goal to help with:
living expenses,
housing,
food,
and school supplies for the children.
According to CAL FIRE, as of Friday afternoon, the fire was approximately 50% contained.
Firefighters noted that the rugged terrain of the El Paso Mountains is presenting significant challenges for access and containment efforts.
