A pilot and passenger aboard a Vans RV-10 aircraft died when the plane crashed into a manufacturing building just short of the runway at the Fullerton Airport as the pilot tried to return to the airfield to make an emergency landing, according to a preliminary report released Friday, Jan. 3 by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The identities of the pair killed has not yet been made public. The FAA’s preliminary report indicates they were the four-seater’s pilot and passenger.
A private vigil was held at Friends Christian Church in Huntington Beach on Friday afternoon.
The crash left 19 employees injured – including several burned, at least one severely – and forced the evacuation of more than 100 workers at the Michael Nicholas Designs furniture factory who were in the building when the plane crashed just before 2:10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, authorities said.
Of the injured, 11 were hospitalized.
The building was red-tagged at least until officials get the airplane removed, said Kristy Wells, Fullerton police spokeswoman. Officials planned to re-evaluate the structure afterward.
Employees at the warehouse Friday said they were trying to learn when they’d be allowed back to work, but had not heard anything. Some employees said they would return next Friday to pick up their paychecks.
Daniel Villalvazo, of Eureka, said he was visiting family at an apartment building near the design warehouse and eating outside when they noticed the plane drawing near.
“We thought it was going to hit us,” Villalvazo said. “The plane just lost control and it was moving around, then all of a sudden it went down.”
Using his arms, Villalvazo demonstrated that the plane’s wings were teetering up and down before it went down.
The FAA’s report says the plane crashed under unknown circumstances shortly after taking off from the airport. The pilot radioed to the tower about 90 seconds after liftoff that an emergency landing was required, but never radioed what type of problem the plane was experiencing.
The tower gave the pilot permission to land on either side of the runway, with the pilot stating his intention to land from the east, but the plane fell less than a half mile short of the edge of the runway.
Panicked gasping can be heard and the pilot said, “Oh my God…” before the pilot’s audio cut out.
Video from a business shows the plane appearing to crash into the roof of the building during a left bank, causing a fireball that rose into the sky.
Elliott Simpson of the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane reached an altitude of about 900 feet before the pilot made the call for an emergency landing.
Employees who were working at the time of the crash said they heard a loud noise and saw heavy smoke coming from the roof. Some thought an electrical fire may have sparked. One employee, 43-year-old Jesus Diaz, said some of the workers were burned by the fire, at least one severely.
The conditions of those hospitalized was not known.
Chris Villalobos, an airport operations worker, told the Associated Press that the airplane’s owner was a regular at the airport, frequently took off from there and rented a hangar.
The Vans RV-10 is a single-engine kit plane that is homebuilt and can seat up to four people, according to the manufacturer’s website.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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