Two Fatalities and Eighteen Injuries Reported in Southern California Plane Crash

FULLERTON, Calif.—On Thursday, two individuals lost their lives and 18 others were injured when a small aircraft crashed through the roof of a large furniture manufacturing facility in Southern California, where at least 200 employees were present, according to police reports.

The names of the deceased individuals, as well as whether they were aboard the plane or on the ground, have yet to be disclosed, said Kristy Wells, a spokesperson for the Fullerton police.

The crash occurred less than two minutes after takeoff from Fullerton Municipal Airport in Orange County, which is located just six miles from Disneyland. Flight-tracking website FlightAware indicated that security footage from Rucci Forged, a wheel manufacturing company situated across the street, showed the plane in a tilted position as it descended into the building, resulting in a fiery explosion and a significant plume of black smoke.

Firefighters and police quickly responded to the scene to combat the resulting blaze and to evacuate nearby businesses, Wells added.

Chris Villalobos, an airport operations employee, rushed to the warehouse to investigate after receiving a report about the plane’s crash.

He mentioned that the plane’s owner was a frequent user of the airport and often took off from there.

“He has a hangar here and everything,” Villalobos noted.

Villalobos stated that shortly after takeoff, the pilot informed air traffic control of an intent to return for an emergency landing, but the specific technical issue with the aircraft remains unclear.

The building housed Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, as indicated by a sign on the door, and appeared to be filled with sewing machines and textile supplies.

According to police, ten individuals were transported to the hospital, while eight received treatment and were released at the scene. There are two confirmed fatalities, Wells stated.

The Federal Aviation Administration has identified the aircraft as a single-engine Van’s RV-10, a four-seat plane.

Fullerton’s airport features one runway and one heliport. Nearby is Metrolink, a regional train system, which runs adjacent to both residential neighborhoods and commercial warehouse establishments.

Another incident occurred last November when a four-seat plane crashed into a tree a half-mile from the airport while attempting an emergency landing just after takeoff; both passengers sustained moderate injuries, as reported by the Orange County Register.

Fullerton has a population of approximately 140,000, situated about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

By Jaimie Ding and Eugene Garcia