SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Two people died Saturday after a small aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood in Simi Valley, California, USA, igniting a fire that damaged two homes but left occupants on the ground uninjured, authorities said.
The crash occurred in the afternoon approximately 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The plane, a privately operated aircraft, was en route from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster to Camarillo Airport when it went down, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Fire crews from Ventura County responded swiftly to the scene. About 40 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze, which engulfed the crash site in flames. The fire was quickly brought under control, the fire department reported.
“There were individuals inside both homes at the time of the crash, but none sustained injuries,” said Fire Chief Chad Dowd. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.
Eyewitness accounts described a scene of chaos and confusion. Shelby Joice, a nearby resident, told ABC News that she and her mother were watching television when they heard an unusual noise overhead. “All of a sudden, we heard a big crash and our entire house started shaking. We actually thought something crashed into our house,” she said. “Then we saw a big, massive fireball and thick black smoke rising.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the crash in coordination with the FAA. Officials have not confirmed the cause of the accident, and it remains unclear whether weather or mechanical failure played a role.
Simi Valley, a suburban city nestled between the hills of Ventura County, is not a frequent site of aviation incidents, but officials say the proximity of small airfields makes such events a persistent risk in Southern California.
The crash marks another in a string of general aviation accidents in the region and comes amid ongoing concerns about flight safety involving small aircraft in densely populated areas.
