A small plane takes flight from the Oxnard Airport in 2022.
Simi Valley – A small, home-built aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood in Simi Valley on Saturday afternoon, killing the pilot and damaging two homes, authorities confirmed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane, a Vans RV-10 — a four-seat, single-engine, kit-built aircraft — crashed around 2:10 p.m. near High Meadow Street and Wood Ranch Parkway, about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
The pilot, who has not yet been publicly identified, was the sole occupant and died at the scene, according to Ventura County Fire Department Public Information Officer Andrew Dowd. The aircraft ignited a fire upon impact, sending a massive fireball and thick plumes of black smoke into the air.
Despite the intensity of the crash and fire, no injuries were reported among the residents of the two affected homes. Dowd said people were inside both homes at the time but were safely evacuated. “It’s a miracle no one inside the homes was hurt,” he added.
Approximately 40 firefighters responded to the scene and quickly extinguished the flames. The aircraft came to rest in the backyard of one of the houses, according to the Simi Valley Police Department.
Local resident Shelby Joice told ABC News that she and her mother were watching television when they heard what sounded like a low-flying helicopter. “All of a sudden, we heard a big crash and our entire house started shaking,” she said. “We actually thought something crashed into our house.” Joice said she then saw a “massive fireball” outside her window.
The plane had departed from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was en route to Camarillo Airport when it went down, FAA officials said.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash. The NTSB confirmed that an investigator was dispatched to the site Saturday and that the wreckage will be moved to a secure location for further examination after being documented.
This crash comes amid increased scrutiny of aviation safety following a series of recent aircraft incidents nationwide. Authorities have not yet released any preliminary findings about what may have caused Saturday’s fatal crash.
