Century City Man Killed in Plane Crash

Aron Rappoport, 90, of Century City was one of two people killed on June 10 when the plane he was a passenger in crashed into a Hawthorne condominium complex.
The pilot, an instructor, was the only other person on the plane. He was also killed in the crash but his name has not yet been released.
The light plane – a Grunman American AA-1B – crashed at 5:12 p.m. on the 4500 block of Broadway, two miles west of Hawthorne Municipal Airport shortly after takeoff.
The aircraft slammed into two units in the complex and caught fire but the fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported on the ground, according to fire officials.
Rappoport had a private pilot’s license with ratings to land single-engine and multi-engine planes, according to FAA records.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Rappoport’s Jewish funeral service will take place at Groman Eden Mortuary in Mission Hills.
According to an obituary notice, the service will be private and in lieu of flowers the family has asked mourners to make a donation in Aron’s memory to the California Jazz Foundation: californiajazzfoundation.org.
The following obituary was posted by his family:
An 18-year-old Aron Rappoport enlisted in the United States Army-Air Force on June 2, 1944. Private First Class Rappoport spent most of his service working on, and around, airplanes. He was Honorably Discharged at the conclusion of the Second World War, but his passion for planes and aviation lasted a lifetime. Aron attended UCLA, and graduated in the class of 1948, with a Bachelor’s of Administration degree. He would go on to a respected and successful career in commercial finance. When he wasn’t working hard in the office, he was traveling the globe with his friends and family; enjoying skiing, sailing, traveling to National Parks, and of course, jazz.
Aron is survived by his children, Steven (Katharine) Rappoport, Michael (Michelle) Rappoport, and Lisa (Christopher) King; his grandchildren, Tristin D’Andrea, Adam Rappoport, Geoffrey Rappoport, Cameron King, Aaron Rappoport, and Samantha Rappoport; and his dear friends.
He will be forever in our hearts!