Plane headed to Phoenix crashes in Oxnard, California, killing pilot
Brian J. Varela
A small aircraft crashed right into a strawberry area in north Oxnard on Friday morning, killing the pilot.
The craft then caught fireplace, sending up a plume of black smoke close to Highway 101.
The crash was reported round 8 a.m. in a area on the north facet of the 101, east of Del Norte Boulevard, in accordance to the Ventura County Fire Department. The website is west of the Camarillo Airport, the place the aircraft took off shortly earlier than the crash.
No different victims have been discovered throughout a search on the bottom and by helicopter, fireplace officers mentioned. Two city search-and-rescue canine additionally searched the sphere.
Firefighters reported a broadly scattered particles area and mentioned the aircraft was engulfed in flames once they arrived.
Andy VanSciver, a Ventura County firefighter and spokesman, confirmed one particular person was aboard and had died in the crash. VanSciver mentioned he couldn’t launch extra particulars on the dying.
The aircraft clipped a constructing on the south facet of Highway 101 earlier than taking place in the sphere, he mentioned. Crews later discovered particles from the aircraft on the roof.
Capt. Brian McGrath, one other company spokesman, mentioned the Oxnard Fire Department was the lead company and county fireplace had been known as in to help. The Federal Aviation Administration was additionally contacted to examine.
Information from FlightAware indicated the single-engine, four-seat mounted wing craft had taken off from Camarillo Airport at 7:59 a.m., headed to Phoenix Deer Valley Airport. The aircraft was listed as a Mooney M-20 Turbo registered in Arizona.
Sean Herder, operations supervisor for Ventura County’s Department of Airports, confirmed the pilot’s departure info. He had flown into Camarillo on Thursday morning from Big Bear, Herder mentioned, including he was not conscious of any misery calls earlier than Friday’s crash.
The aircraft clipped a industrial constructing in the 3500 block of Camino Avenue close to Trabajo Drive, mentioned Oxnard Fire Battalion Chief Steve McNaughten. The metropolis of Oxnard yellow-tagged the constructing, he mentioned. The extent of injury wasn’t instantly identified. The constructing was occupied on the time, however no accidents have been reported, McNaughten mentioned.
The crash website was on non-public property and cordoned off by emergency personnel Friday morning. Small plumes of smoke from the aircraft could possibly be seen 1 / 4 mile away.
The incident prompted Highway 101 visitors to backup through the morning rush hour with the closure of a northbound lane.
This story could also be up to date.
— Staff writers Cheri Carlson and Jeremy Childs contributed to this story.
Brian J. Varela covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo. He will be reached at [email protected] or 805-477-8014. You also can discover him on Twitter @BrianVarela805.
