RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — A small plane crashed in a field northeast of Murrieta early Saturday morning, killing all six people on board.
The flight departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Cessna aircraft crashed around 4:15 a.m. at Auld Road and Briggs Road near the French Valley Airport, according to Cal Fire in Riverside County.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the airplane crashed about 500 feet short of runway 1A, which they said appeared the be the intended runway.
Riverside County Sheriff’s found the aircraft fully engulfed in flames. The six adults on board were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
The NTSB and the FAA are both investigating the crash. The NTSB said they would be on scene for the next day or two investigating. Then, they would take the wreckage back to a secure facility for further investigation.
Preliminary reports are expected within the next two weeks, and a final report can take 12-18 months, according to the NTSB.
This is the second crash in the area in the last week.