Six people were tragically killed in a plane crash near the French Valley Airport in Murrieta on Saturday morning. The Cessna business jet had departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and crashed as a marine layer moved into the area. This is the second fatal crash near the airport in just four days.
All six occupants of the aircraft, who were all adults, were pronounced dead at the scene. According to accident investigator Eliott Simpson from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), at least one of the passengers was a certified commercial pilot who was in the pilot seat at the time of the crash. Simpson explained that there was a marine layer hanging over the area, and the pilot attempted a “missed approach” before executing an instrument-only approach. Unfortunately, the plane missed the runway by approximately 500 feet.
The victims have not yet been publicly identified. The NTSB stated that the 1979 Cessna Citation had left Las Vegas at 3:15 a.m. for a short 45-minute flight. The crash was reported at 4:15 a.m. in the area of Auld and Briggs roads, and the Riverside County Fire Department found the aircraft fully engulfed in flames in a field. The burning plane caused a vegetation fire of about 1 acre, which was contained by Cal Fire Riverside at 5:35 a.m. The debris field from the crash was approximately 200 feet long.
Simpson clarified that the flight was not scheduled, which is not uncommon, as pilots can take off and land from airports as long as they are open. The NTSB is expected to be on the scene for one to two days to investigate the crash. A preliminary report on the incident is anticipated in about 14 business days, with a final report expected to be released within 12-18 months.
In a separate incident, a single-engine plane crash occurred at French Valley Airport on the Fourth of July, resulting in one fatality and three injuries. The pilot, 39-year-old Jared Alan Newman of Temecula, was killed, while his three sons, Caleb, Connor, and Elijah Newman, were seriously injured. The plane, a Cessna 172, crashed shortly after taking off from the airfield. The FAA reported that the crash occurred to the east of the airport’s runway.
These tragic incidents have raised concerns about aviation safety near the French Valley Airport, and authorities will be closely examining the circumstances surrounding both crashes.
What factors contributed to the Cessna business jet succumbing to the hazardous marine layer near the French Valley Airport?
Approximately 9:30 am on Saturday, a devastating plane crash occurred near the French Valley Airport in Murrieta, resulting in the tragic loss of six lives. The ill-fated Cessna business jet had taken off from the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas but unfortunately succumbed to the hazardous marine layer as it approached the area. Heartbreakingly, this incident marks the second fatal crash in a mere four-day span near the local airport.
The victims of this calamity were all adults, and their lives were tragically cut short at the crash site. Eliott Simpson, an accident investigator representing the esteemed National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), provided preliminary insights into the incident.
It’s heartbreaking to hear about another fatal accident involving the Cessna jet. My thoughts and condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims. It’s crucial that we investigate the causes behind these tragedies to prevent them from happening again in the future.