Two people were injured when a small plane hit a tree Monday during an emergency landing along an Orange County roadway, authorities said.
Prior to the crash landing, a pilot mentioned to air traffic controllers experiencing engine turbulence but didn’t ask for assistance, according to audio of the incident. About a minute later, however, he suddenly announced an emergency landing.
The plane, a Mooney M20 with two passengers, climbed to about 2,100 feet and 110 miles per hour before rapidly losing altitude about 1:45 p.m., according to its flight track log. It crashed just east of Fullerton Airport along Artesia Boulevard, according to the Fullerton Fire Department. The passengers had moderate injuries and were taken to a hospital.
It wasn’t the aircraft’s first flight of the day — it had just been flown from an airport in La Verne. The plane had recorded more than a dozen flights since Nov. 12, most under an hour.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate and aims to have a preliminary incident report Tuesday, a spokesperson said.
KTLA-TV photos showed firefighters swarming the plane. A tree appeared to protrude near the cockpit.
Artesia Boulevard was closed in both directions Monday evening between Gilbert Street and Dale Street while authorities investigated.
