Nov. 03, Avalon, Calif. / Piper Cherokee Six

At 16:45 Pacific time, a Piper PA-32-260 lost power after takeoff and was ditched into the Pacific Ocean about four miles south of Catalina Island. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The pilot reported the engine began making a rattling noise with a loss of engine power after takeoff. He was unable to return to the runway and landed in the ocean. The Catalina Island airport manager stated that a pilot reported hearing the accident airplane prior to departure and that the engine sounded terrible or strange.