'Top Gun' pilot settles lawsuit over woman's death at Calif. beach party

"The party started on the beach near Harmony Headlands State Park, an unincorporated part of San Luis Obispo County, in late December 2020. With Burning Man canceled that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, court filings allege Jonathan Spano planned his "own version of the Burning Man Festival" on the beach. Guests camped out in trailers on the beach, and according to court filings, drugs and alcohol were plentiful."

"While Arayza-Alvarez was navigating the terrain in the dark, she accidentally drove off a cliff, plunging the ATV into the ocean below. The driver and two passengers were able to pull themselves from the wreck, but Hendry remained stuck in the vehicle. California Highway Patrol officers arrived shortly before 4 a.m., and rescuers descended the cliff to reach her. Hendry was pronounced deceased, having "died a horrific and excruciating death by drowning.""

"That lawsuit was filed in 2022, the same year the Tom Cruise hit "Top Gun: Maverick" was released. Spano provided a jet that was used for filming the blockbuster's flight scenes, and he served as a pilot during stunt filming. As a stunt pilot, Spano was part of a team that won a Screen Actors Guild Award."

Jonathan Spano, a stunt pilot for "Top Gun: Maverick" and CEO of Traffic Management, organized a Burning Man-style festival on a remote California beach near Harmony Headlands State Park in December 2020 after the official festival was canceled due to COVID-19. During the event, where drugs and alcohol were prevalent, guest Maria Arayza-Alvarez drove an ATV she had never operated before with three passengers, including Tanya Hendry. While driving in darkness, Arayza-Alvarez accidentally drove the vehicle off a cliff into the ocean. While three occupants escaped, Hendry remained trapped and drowned. Spano settled the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Hendry's family in 2022, the same year "Top Gun: Maverick" was released.

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