May 12, 2026 / 6:12 PM PDT / CBS LA
Two families in Southern California are mourning the loss of two best friends killed in a small plane crash in Kern County last week.
Dad Ali and mom Kafa Al-Shurman said their eldest son, a father of three, Ramzi Al-Shurman, was doing what he loved most when he and his best friend Enrique Lopez died last week.
"I've had the fear from day one," Ali said.
Over the last three years, 28-year-old Ramzi has spent most of his time in the sky as a flight instructor, even teaching his little brother to fly. His family said he was helping his best friend prepare for his pilot's test when they took off from Corona Airport last Thursday morning.
After fueling up in Kern County, the pair started their flight back home. Seven minutes into their flight, their plane disappeared from the radar.
The crash that killed the best friends started a brush fire.
"All we know is, the information I have, is seven minutes after takeoff, the plane went off the radar," Ali said. "Minutes later, the plane crashed and caused a fire."
Ramzi's family said he had just accepted a job with SkyWest Airlines. He was expected to start in two weeks.
"When he was there, that was his playground," cousin Ahmad Alkhdairi said. "He was just like a little kid in Disneyland when he was up there."
Alkhdairi said the family created an online fundraiser to help Ramzi's wife and children.
"He's a dad. He's a great friend. He's a loving husband. He's a dedicated father," Alkhdairi said.
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