Mark Benjamin, believed to be one of four people who died in a plane crash in Santa Monica, is being remembered as an avid photographer, a philanthropist, and a nature lover.
Benjamin lived in Malibu but would frequently spend weekends in the outdoors that he loved around the Sun Valley area of Idaho, said longtime friend John French of Ketchum, Idaho.
French, also a pilot, said that Benjamin started flying the Cessna about six years ago.
“He flew a lot,” French said. “He was not a casual pilot.”
Benjamin was an avid nature photographer who would rise early to make pictures while others slept, French said. He also loved the stars, and built a home in Ketchum with a retractable roof so that a large telescope could take in the night sky. His other son, Matt, works at the University of Colorado planetarium.
An active philanthropist, Benjamin had a particular interest in nature conservation and youth programs. Executives with the Idaho Conservation League and the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu praised a man they said practiced generosity for its own sake — not the recognition some seek. After listening intently, he often would conclude a group discussion with a trenchant suggestion or observation, friends said.
The Idaho Conservation League remembered Benjamin in an Oct. 1 blog post.
“Mark Benjamin was a father, CEO, friend, conservationist, hiker, dog lover, amateur photographer and remarkable man,” said Rick Johnson, executive director, in the post. “His love of Idaho cemented when he became a part-time Wood River Valley resident nearly 20 years ago.”
“Mark talked to me about when he first came to Idaho as child by train and fell in love with this amazing place then. Since then he has made frequent trips between his home in Malibu and his home-away-from-home in Ketchum. One of Mark’s favorite things to do was pilot his jet. Just this mid-September many ICL board members enjoyed a flight from Mark when he offered to stop in Boise, Hailey, Idaho Falls and then Santa Monica, to deliver them all safely home from ICL’s 40th anniversary celebration in Sandpoint. Stories, post-flight, are ones of fun and adventure!”
Benjmain was on the league’s board of directors. He was a member since 2000.
Not unrelated, said Johnson, Morley Construction--which Benjamin was the CEO of after his father started the company decades ago--is a leader in green building.
Luke Benjmain, Mark’s son, is also believed to have died in the crash.
Officials found two other bodies but aren’t sure yet who they are. The charred wreckage from a fire that started after the plane hit a hangar made identification difficult.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office took the remains from the aircraft at Santa Monica Airport and tried to match new dental X-rays with X-rays of people believed to be aboard, Lt. Fred Corral said. That process could be completed Wednesday.
Cranes had to be brought in to lift the wrecked hangar off the plane before efforts could begin to retrieve remains and the cockpit voice recorder. Also recovered were the remains of two cats and a dog.
The investigation was affected by the federal government shutdown that began late Monday on the West Coast.
Investigators were to gather all evidence that could not be preserved from the active accident scene and then stop their work, NTSB spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said shortly before the shutdown went into effect. The NTSB could not be reached for comment Tuesday because its public affairs office was closed.
NTSB staff left Tuesday morning and the charred wreckage of the plane was taken off site for potential future investigation, acting airport manager Stelios Makrides said.
The airport reopened to plane traffic Tuesday afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
