Three people killed when two planes collide over Watsonville
Three people were killed Thursday when two planes collided over Watsonville Municipal Airport in Watsonville, Calif., officials said.
Both aircraft appeared to be coming in for a landing at the airport when they collided shortly before 3 p.m., said Michelle Pulido, spokesperson for the Watsonville Police Department. The airport is about 16 miles east of Santa Cruz.
The planes were a single-engine Cessna 152 and a twin-engine Cessna 340, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. An agency spokesperson said the Cessna 152 had only the pilot aboard and that two people were on the Cessna 340. All three were killed, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department
Images posted by the city on Twitter showed an airplane crashed into a hangar at the airport. A video taken by a passing motorist showed what appeared to be the wreckage of a plane in a dry grass field.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash.
Ashley Keehn, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, said deputies and fire officials are working to secure the area.
Times staff writer Gregory Yee contributed to this report.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
