Concord plane crash kills 1
CONCORD, Calif. - A small plane crashed in Concord, killing the pilot on Tuesday, authorities said.
The plane went down at Diamond Boulevard and Concord Avenue, near the Buchanan Field Airport, around 10:30 a.m. The pilot was the only person on board the aircraft, the FAA said.
The driver of a vehicle also suffered minor injuries due to the crash, the Contra Costa Fire Protection District said. That driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.
The downed plane was identified as a Van's RV-6, a two-seat, single-engine aircraft by the FAA.
It's unclear what caused the plane to crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Traffic Safety Board are investigating. The NTSB says its main priority in the coming day is to get a full survey of the crash scene for the investigation.
Video posted to social media showed the cockpit and the nose of the aircraft crushed.
Alex Williams works nearby and heard the the plane before the crash.
"Engine died once, started it, engine died again and we kind of saw it nose dive down it was kind of a scary situation"
Williams says he sees that same plane taking off from Buchanan Field Airport and landing shortly after on a regular basis.
"It's like he kinda comes up, does a little bit of turns, stuff like that, kinda moves around here, flies back down...a couple different planes kind of do the same thing," Williams said.
The Experimental Aircraft Association, a group of amateur and professional aviation enthusiasts, says that the Vans RV-6 is one of the most popular kit planes in the world. These planes face safety regulations similar to factory-built planes, including airworthiness tests before any flights.
Kit planes are also subject to inspections every year or every 100 flight hours. Pilots who fly kit planes are expected to carry the same pilot ratings as those who fly small, factory-built planes.
The FAA says where and why kit planes fly matters.
"FAA regulations restrict where home-built aircraft can be flown. For example, they can’t be flown over densely populated areas unless doing so is necessary for landing at or departing from an airport…" the FAA said.
The NTSB is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has video of the incident to please contact witness@ntsb.gov.