Six people were killed when a small plane crashed in California early Saturday morning, officials said.
The Cessna C550 commercial jet crashed near the French Valley Airport in Murrieta, California, in Riverside County, around 4:15 a.m. local time. The craft was “down in a field” and “fully engulfed in flames,” the Riverside County Fire Department said tweeted on Saturday. The fire, which consumed about an acre of vegetation, was put out by 5:35 am.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release All six passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the passenger is unknown.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight took off from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
This is the second accident in the area within a week. CBS Los Angeles reported Another Cessna crashed near the French Valley Airport shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday. One person died and three others were injured. According to CBS Los Angeles, the dead man was 39-year-old Temecula resident Jared Newman, the father of the three surviving passengers. He is said to have operated the aircraft under a training license which is restricted by central government regulations.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
