Five people are reportedly dead after a light plane crash in Central California.
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The single-engine Piper PA32, was found at an orchard Saturday night, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigator also was on site Sunday, Gregor said.
The FAA official added that the plane was flying from San Jose and was headed to Henderson Airport just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The debris-field of the crash was almost a quarter-mile in length and it was found in an almond orchard at the southwest of the intersection of South Allen and Panama lanes in detached Kern County. Coroner’s officials were identifying them.
The plane became the subject of a search after disappearing from radar, Kern County sheriff’s Sgt. Mark King said, and federal authorities are investigating the cause.
The accident occurred after the pilot sent a mayday call and the plane disappeared from the radar.
The Sheriff’s Office, Bakersfield Police Department, California Highway Patrol and Kern County Fire Department responded to the area and conducted a ground search, the release said.
The aircraft with tail number N36402 is registered to RAD Aviation of San Jose, Calif. It appears that that plane has been owned by the same company since it was built in 2006.
The NTSB is in charge of the investigation.
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A sheriff’s officer said it may take a day or two to identify all of the plane debris before the investigation on the possible cause can begin.
