Rita Odafe
Tragic Plane Crash in California
On January 2, a small plane tragically crashed into a factory in California, resulting in two fatalities and injuring 18 others. This incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Fullerton Municipal Airport.
The single-engine aircraft, which can seat four, struck the furniture manufacturing facility while approximately 200 employees were working inside. Just under two minutes into the flight, the crash took place, as reported by FlightAware.
Emergency services arrived swiftly at around 2 p.m. to tackle the intense fire and assist with evacuating the factory, named Michael Nicholas Designs, along with nearby businesses.
At the scene, two individuals were declared deceased, while ten others were taken to hospitals. Eight additional people received treatment on-site and were later released. It remained unclear whether the deceased were on the plane or within the factory.
Footage captured by surveillance cameras displayed the moment the plane barreled into the building at a high speed, creating a massive fireball accompanied by dark smoke.
Authorities are currently working on determining the cause of the crash. An airport operations worker shared that the pilot had communicated an intention to return for an emergency landing but did not disclose the problem that prompted this decision.
The pilot was known to operate frequently from the local airport, which is situated about six miles from Disneyland and has one runway, according to Villalobos. He had a hangar at the site.
The downed aircraft was identified as a Van’s RV-10, a single-engine plane with a seating capacity of four, as stated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Watch the video below.
BREAKING: A plane has crashed into a warehouse near Fullerton Airport in California. Casualties reported, and the fire department is on a 4-alarm response.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 2, 2025
