Two people killed when small plane crashes into two homes in California

People were inside both homes during the crash but were safely evacuated.

(CNN) — A small plane crashed into two homes in Simi Valley, California, Saturday afternoon, leaving two people and a dog dead, police told to CNN.

The plane slammed into the two-story, single-family homes around 2:10 p.m. – igniting a fire and sending huge plumes of smoke into the air. People were inside both homes during the crash but were safely evacuated with no injuries, the Ventura County Fire Department said, and the fire was suppressed.

There were no survivors aboard the plane, according to the Simi Valley Police Department.

The plane — a four-seat, single-engine plane — had departed from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was headed to Camarillo Airport when it crashed around 2:10 p.m. local time around 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles, the Federal Aviation Administration told CNN Saturday afternoon.

The aircraft was found in the backyard of a residence, according to Simi Valley police.

Around 40 firefighters were on scene, according to the fire department. Photos and videos of the crash site show smoke billowing above the homes and firetrucks lined up on the street outside the building.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident, which comes after a devastating midair collision outside Washington, DC, in January and a string of aviation incidents across the country that have triggered scrutiny of air travel.

The NTSB has said an investigator is on scene and the wreckage will be moved for further evaluation after it’s documented.

The FAA initially said only a pilot was onboard the small plane and authorities had confirmed a single death, but later revised the death toll to two people.

CNN’s Hanna Park contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Report a Typo