A small plane crashed on the roof of an industrial warehouse in Fullerton, California on Thursday (2), resulting in the deaths of two people and leaving 19 others injured. The accident occurred just two minutes before takeoff from Fullerton Municipal Airport, when the pilot alerted the control tower about the need to return for an emergency landing.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft was a single-engine Van’s RV-10. Authorities have not yet said whether all the victims were on board or whether some were among the workers there. The affected warehouse housed a furniture factory with at least 200 employees at the time of the accident.
Of the 19 injured people, 11 were taken to hospitals in the region, while eight others received medical care at the scene. The two fatal victims have not yet been formally identified.
Security camera footage recorded the moment of the crash, which resulted in a strong explosion and a thick column of black smoke visible from several kilometers away. THE Reuters confirmed the authenticity of the video by comparing the layout of the streets, the presence of fire hydrants and trees with satellite images of the region.
Investigation
The causes of the accident are still under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The pilot, according to reports, attempted to return to the airport shortly after takeoff, but the crash occurred before he was able to perform the emergency procedure.
The region where the accident occurred is located approximately 10 km from Disneyland and has a combination of residential and commercial areas. The impact caused the evacuation of more than 100 people from the warehouse and nearby establishments.
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The investigation will continue to determine the technical and operational reasons that led to the accident, while local authorities monitor the health status of the hospitalized victims.
