Two individuals and a dog lost their lives this past Saturday after a small plane crashed into a residential area of Simi Valley, as reported by KTLA. The crash, involving a single-engine Vans RV-10, occurred near the 200 block of High Meadow Street, leading to a blaze that damaged two homes but thankfully resulted in no civilian injuries on the ground.
According to CBS News Los Angeles, the plane had taken off from William J. Fox Airfield en route to Camarillo Airport when the incident happened close to 2:10 p.m. Pacific Time. The plane, seen spiraling towards the ground by eyewitnesses, struck residents who were inside their homes, causing them to promptly evacuate. The Ventura County Fire Department, as obtained by KTLA, sent about 40 firefighters to tackle the ensuing fire.
While the Federal Aviation Administration initially stated the pilot was the sole occupant, Simi Valley police later clarified that there was also a passenger and a dog on the aircraft. Details about the victims have been withheld pending notification of kin. KTLA further reports that the area between Wood Ranch Parkway and High Meadow Street remained closed as investigations by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) got underway. Their preliminary findings are anticipated within the following month, though the comprehensive report might take much longer, up to two years.
One of the affected homeowners, Arman Hovakemian, captured the dramatic moments on his Ring camera. "But I came in to the patio door to warn her, and then I heard the bang, then I turned around, she was almost out," Hovakemian told ABC7 Eyewitness News. Suffering from serious damage to the roofs, firefighters had to perform extensive actions to control the blaze, with Dowd of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department confirming there was no significant hazardous materials risk from the crash due to a lack of jet fuel.
