Pilot, passenger and dog killed as small plane crashes into homes in California

Two people and a dog onboard a small plane died after it crashed into homes in California on Saturday.

The crash took place on Saturday afternoon in the Wood Ranch neighborhood of Simi Valley, 42 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Officials initially said that only the pilot had been onboard the plane, but later added that a passenger and the dog had also been on the flight.

As of Sunday, the identities of the victims had not yet been made public.

The Ventura County Fire Department says that the single-engine plane struck two homes before ending up in the yard of one of the homes.

The crash sparked a fire and the residents of the two homes evacuated with no injuries before 40 firefighters called to the scene put it out.

The Federal Aviation Administration said that the plane involved in the crash was a Van's RV-10 aircraft. It is a four-seat plane that is assembled by buyers from a kit.

Firefighters work at the site of a plane crash in the Wood Ranch section of Simi Valley, Calif., on Saturday, May 3, 2025 (AP)

Officials say that the plane took off from a small airport in Lancaster, California, and was on its way to Camarilla Airport, around 20 miles west of Simi Valley.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead an investigation into the cause of the crash, the FAA said.