A small plane crashed in a field and burst into flames during the second of two landing attempts in fog at a Southern California airport, leaving six people dead.
The Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the crash of the Cessna C550 business jet took place around 4:15 a.m. in Murrieta, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.
Authorities indicated that it took firefighters more than an hour to extinguish the flames, which charred about an acre of vegetation at the edge of French Valley Airport.
Elliott Simpson, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, indicated that the 13 people were on the plane.
“Most of the airplane, with the exception of the tail, was consumed by fire,” Simpson told reporters at an afternoon briefing.
In a statement, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office pointed out that the victims, all adults, were not immediately identified.
The plane, which departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for the 45-minute flight to Murietta, crashed during its second approach, according to the NTSB.
Simpson elaborated that the pilot was cleared for a landing using only instruments because of limited visibility from the low cloud ceiling.
He added: “The visibility and ceilings allowed for a landing, but it was right on the minimums” of the regulations set for that airport.
Meanwhile, investigators will review recordings between the pilot and air traffic control.
