Pilot Dies, Driver Injured After Small Plane Crashes into Calif. Intersection and Hits a Car

Abigail Adams
·3 min read

The RV-6, a homemade plane, went down near Concord Avenue and Diamond Boulevard in Concord around 10:30 a.m. local time, according to authorities

  • The pilot of a homemade airplane has died after the aircraft crashed into an intersection in Concord, Calif, on Tuesday

  • The plane hit a car during the crash, leaving the vehicle's driver with what the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District describes as "minor injuries"

  • Witnesses told local news stations that they saw the plane in trouble moments before it went down near Buchanan Field Airport

One person was killed another was injured Tuesday when a small plane crashed into an intersection and hit a car in California.

Crews responded to the scene near Concord Avenue and Diamond Boulevard around 10:30 a.m. local time following multiple 911 calls regarding the crash, according to a news release from the Concord Police Department.

The aircraft — described by the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District as a Van's RV-6 — “struck a vehicle on the roadway” when it went down, injuring the driver in the process.

The plane’s pilot was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the CPD. The driver of the car was transported to a local hospital with “minor injuries,” per Contra Costa County Fire.

Related: 23-Year-Old Man Dies, Several Others Injured After Greyhound Bus and Car Crash in Alabama

Contra Costa Fire Battalion Chief Kevin Platt said the plane “had just taken off” from the nearby Buchanan Field Airport before the crash, according to ABC affiliate KABC-TV. The plane reportedly did an “abrupt” nose dive a short time later.

The RV-6 is a homemade plane that was first introduced to the market in 1986, and quickly “became the best-selling kit aircraft to date,” according to the Van’s Aircraft website. An updated model, the RV-7, was released in 2001.

Van’s Aircraft did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Multiple witnesses recalled seeing the plane in trouble before it crashed. Darrell Victor told NBC affiliate KNTV he was golfing when he saw the plane “sputtering” right above him.

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“He started to turn, and we were hoping he was going to be able to glide back,” Victor explained, “but he just started coming down and we started running."

Alex Williams told CBS affiliate KPIX that he heard the plane "stop and stall" in the air before it went down. Wayne Edwards said he heard popping sounds before he saw the plane dive "straight down," followed by a "boom."

The pilot, who has not been publicly identified, often performed stunts in the air, Edwards added. "I've seen him for years, doing stunts," he explained.

Related: 1 Woman Dead, 3 Injured After Driver Accidentally Backs SUV into Nail Salon

Roads surrounding the crash scene were temporarily closed following the deadly crash, according to the CPD.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash, Contra Costa County Fire said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the NTSB with a statement and phone number at witness@ntsb.gov.

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