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Six individuals tragically lost their lives on Saturday when a small plane traveling from Las Vegas crashed near Murrieta Airport in Murrieta, California, according to authorities. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reported that emergency responders discovered the aircraft engulfed in flames in a nearby field. Unfortunately, all six occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
The identities of the victims have not yet been released, and the crash of the Cessna C550 aircraft was reported at around 4:15 a.m. local time. Fire officials confirmed that the crash resulted in the burning of approximately one acre of vegetation which was contained about an hour later.
Based on information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight had departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas at 3:15 a.m. The FAA, along with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), is currently investigating the cause of the crash.
During a news conference on Saturday, NTSB investigator Elliott Simpson revealed that a foggy marine layer began to envelop the area, leading to reduced visibility shortly before the pilot’s planned landing. According to Simpson, the pilot had informed air traffic controllers of the need to perform a missed approach procedure due to poor visibility.
Air traffic controllers granted approval for the pilot to attempt another landing. Sadly, the plane crashed roughly 500 feet short of the runway, while the pilot attempted an instrument landing approach. Simpson stated, “It appears that the weather was at the minimums for landing at that airport, so the visibility and ceilings allowed for a landing – but it was right on the minimums.”
The NTSB will continue its investigation into the cause of the crash. This tragic incident comes just days after another fatal plane crash near Murrieta. On Tuesday, a single-engine Cessna 172 crashed shortly after takeoff from French Valley Airport. The pilot, identified as Jared Newman, lost his life in the crash, while three juvenile passengers sustained injuries.
Authorities have not confirmed any connection between the two crashes, and investigations are ongoing. French Valley Airport serves as a gateway to the surrounding region and offers flight services to both private and commercial aircraft. As the community mourns the loss of the victims, the aviation community emphasizes the importance of continued safety measures to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.
A report by Nytimes.com indicates that the crashes at French Valley Airport could be unrelated, as investigators work towards determining the cause of each incident..
