Another airplane crash claims 2 lives and injures 18, has passengers fearful of small aircraft
Small aircraft get a bad rap. Compared to larger commercial airliners, little propeller-driven airplanes are cramped and bumpy. What’s worse, several recent airplane crashes involving small aircraft have would-be passengers concerned about safety. Most recently, a single-engine plane crashed into a building in California, killing two and injuring many more.
A deadly airplane crash in Orange County, California revives concerns about the safety of small aircraft
A small, single-engine RV-10 airplane crashed just two minutes after taking off from the Fullerton Municipal Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the crash, but air traffic control at the Fullerton flight line reported having contacted the pilot after takeoff.
The pilot told air traffic control at Fullerton Municipal Airport that he intended to return and conduct an emergency landing, per CNN. However, the specific issue with the aircraft isn’t clear. Unfortunately, the pilot didn’t succeed in turning the little RV-10. Security cameras at a nearby business caught the small airplane rolling and diving into a crowded furniture factory.
The aircraft exploded on impact, killing two people and injuring at least 18 of the 200 people working in the building. Fred Jung, the mayor of Fullerton reassured residents after the tragic event. “The City of Fullerton is committed to providing support for all those affected and working with the agencies involved to uncover the details of this incident,” Mayor Jung said in a statement.
Unfortunately, the crash is only the latest devastating crash on US soil involving small airplanes. Last month, a Piper PA-31 Navajo crash-landed onto a Texas highway access road, injuring four people and causing extensive damage. However, the twin-engine fixed-wing airplane’s dramatic landing didn’t claim any lives.
In addition to the California and Texas crashes, a flight instructor recently died after crashing a small, single-engine airplane into a field alongside a New York highway. Unfortunately, it’s a bit on-brand for small planes. According to the NTSB, small, private aircraft can be 25 times more likely to have a crash than larger, commercial applications.
