Video shows explosion

Plane crashes into building – 2 dead, 19 injured

(Bild: AP/Rucci Forged)

Two people were killed and 19 others injured when an airplane crashed in Fullerton, California, on Thursday. A surveillance camera filmed the small plane crashing into the roof of a warehouse and exploding in a fireball (see video above).

Eleven people were taken to hospitals, while eight were treated at the scene and subsequently released to home care, Fullerton police reported. The two fatalities are believed to be the occupants of the plane.

At the time the plane crashed into the building of a furniture manufacturer, at least 200 people were working in the halls of the company, according to the AP news agency. Dozens of workers were brought to safety, according to reports.

A surveillance camera filmed the plane exploding in a fireball on impact with the hall of the furniture factory.(Bild: AP/Rucci Forged)

Plane crashed shortly after take-off
According to the flight tracking service FlightAware, the plane crashed less than two minutes after taking off from Fullerton Municipal Airport, which is ten kilometers from Disneyland.

Security camera footage from Rucci Forged, a wheel manufacturer across the street, shows that the plane was tilted on its side when it crashed into the building, leaving a hole in its flat roof. 

US Federal Aviation Administration investigates on site
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately began an on-site investigation. The cause of the crash was initially unknown. According to the Los Angeles Times newspaper, audio recordings made shortly before the crash indicate that something suddenly went wrong during the flight.

According to US media reports, the aircraft involved in the accident was a four-seater, single-engine, low-wing aircraft of the type Van's Airkraft RV-10, which is sold in the States as a do-it-yourself kit.