Latest news with #Hovakemian
Epoch Times
05-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Small Plane Crashes Into Los Angeles-Area Neighborhood, Killing 2 People and a Dog
SIMI VALLEY, Calif.—A small plane crashed into a neighborhood in Simi Valley on Saturday afternoon, killing two people and a dog aboard the aircraft and damaging two homes, authorities said. Fire crews responded, and police cordoned off the streets, warning people to stay clear of the area. Smoke could be seen billowing from the roof of one home in the Wood Ranch section of the community, which lies nearly 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Wreckage could be seen between the two homes. The Ventura County Fire Department confirmed that residents were inside at the time but said they evacuated with no reported injuries. Both homes sustained structural damage and were impacted by the fire, authorities said. About 40 firefighters were on scene. With the flames out, they began working on salvage. Officials initially reported one death. Later Saturday, the Simi Valley Police Department said the pilot, a passenger and a dog in the airplane died. As of Sunday, authorities had not released any information about the occupants of the single-engine Van's RV-10, which is a popular home-built plane sold in kit form. They also did not say what might have caused the crash. Related Stories 4/26/2025 4/24/2025 The plane crashed into the backyard and dining room of Arman Hovakemian's home. Hovakemian told the Los Angeles Times that he was doing yard work when he noticed the plane above, circling lower and lower in the hillside neighborhood. He ran inside to get his wife, Armineh, and their Pomeranian dog, Koko, and they fled the property. A loud bang followed and the fuselage landed where he had been standing in the yard just moments before, he said. 'I'm numb. It hasn't sunk in yet,' Hovakemian said Saturday as dozens of firefighters and police officers surrounded his home. 'We're fortunate we were able to get out.' In security video recorded by a neighbor that was viewed by the Times, the plane can be heard circling the neighborhood for nearly three minutes and flying close to homes at points. In another video, the plane can be seen shooting straight up into the clouds then dropping down again. An investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board also was on the scene Saturday. NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson said once the wreckage of the plane is documented, it will be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation. Investigators also will be combing through the plane's maintenance records, weather forecasts, recordings of any air traffic control communications, witness statements, the pilot's background and any surveillance video that might have captured the aircraft. In January another Van's RV-10 crashed into a warehouse in Fullerton, which is southeast of Los Angeles, while trying to make an emergency landing, killing the pilot and his teen daughter and injuring 19 people in the building. A preliminary report issued by the NTSB said that plane appeared to have had a door ajar during flight. It will likely be weeks before the NTSB releases preliminary findings on the Simi Valley crash. A final report comes months later.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Small kit plane crashes into California homes, killing two people and a dog
A homemade kit plane crashed into two homes in Simi Valley on Saturday, killing the pilot, a passenger, and a dog onboard the aircraft, police confirmed. The crash, involving a single-engine Vans RV-10 aircraft, occurred around 2pm in the 200 block of High Meadow Street in the Wood Ranch area, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The home-built plane had departed from William J Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was headed to Camarillo Airport when it crashed. The FAA initially reported only the pilot was onboard, but police later confirmed that two people died, along with the dog. The victims' identities have not been released. Witnesses said the plane was circling above the neighborhood and appeared to be 'flying on its side' before crashing into two properties. 'There was another two minutes of this thing flying around... it was wobbling and barely made it over the hill,' one witness told ABC7. The second home involved in the crash sustained less damage, though both properties were affected by fire. The Ventura County Fire Department confirmed the residents inside both homes evacuated without injury. One homeowner, Arman Hovakemian, described the terrifying moment the plane crashed into his and his wife Armineh's dining room. He said he was doing yard work when he noticed the plane above, circling lower and lower in the hillside neighborhood. 'I came into the patio door to warn her, and then I heard the bang, then I turned around, she was almost out,' Hovakemian said. His family's Ring camera captured an explosion and flames from the back of their home. Hovakemian told ABC7 that he quickly grabbed a hose to try to extinguish the flames. 'I saw the fire on the plane, and then I saw the fire on the house. I kept the hose on the plane, and then it just exploded,' he said. 'I needed to back away because I could smell a lot of gas and fuel.' Firefighters had to cut through the Hovakemian's roof to access the flames, noting extensive damage to the back of the Wood Ranch community home. Authorities scanned the scene for a risk of hazardous materials which could cause further damage to the already chaotic scene, however, Andrew Dowd of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, determined there was no threat. 'There's no apparent jet fuel. When firefighters arrive on scene for something like this, one of the things they want to try to determine is, do we have potential for a hazardous materials incident, significant fuel spill, something like that,' Dowd said. 'With this type of small, fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft, the determination was made that we didn't have a significant hazardous materials risk.' About 40 firefighters responded to the crash, and local police closed streets around the area. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has since launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, reviewing flight records, maintenance logs, weather conditions, and air traffic communications. 'When you have visibility like it is today, it's always a concern. I don't know... it's way, way too early in this investigation for any of that to be factored in,' a law enforcement officer said at the scene. NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson said once the wreckage of the plane is documented, it will be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation. As part of the ongoing FAA and NTSB investigation, the Hovakemians' home has been red-taped, meaning they won't be allowed back inside anytime soon.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Small plane crashes into California neighborhood, killing two people and a dog
A homemade kit plane crashed into two homes in Simi Valley on Saturday, killing the pilot, a passenger, and a dog aboard the aircraft, police confirmed. The crash, involving a single-engine Vans RV-10 aircraft, occurred around 2 pm in the 200 block of High Meadow Street, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The home-built plane had departed from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was headed to Camarillo Airport when it crashed. The FAA initially reported only the pilot was onboard, but police later confirmed that two people died, along with the dog. The victims' identities have not been released. Witnesses said the plane was circling above the neighborhood and appeared to be 'flying on its side' before crashing into one home. 'There was another two minutes of this thing flying around... it was wobbling and just barely made it over the hill,' one witness told ABC7. The second home involved in the crash sustained less damage, though both properties were affected by fire. The Ventura County Fire Department confirmed the residents inside both homes evacuated without injury. The crash, involving a Vans RV-10 - a home-built, single-engine aircraft - occurred around 2 pm in the 200 block of High Meadow Street, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles One homeowner, Arman Hovakemian, described the terrifying moment the plane crashed. 'I came in to the patio door to warn her, and then I heard the bang, then I turned around, she was almost out,' Hovakemian said. His family's Ring camera captured an explosion and flames from the back of their home. Hovakemian told ABC7 that he quickly grabbed a hose to try to extinguish the flames. 'I saw the fire on the plane, and then I saw the fire on the house. I kept the hose on the plane, and then it just exploded,' he said. 'I needed to back away because I could smell a lot of gas and fuel.' Firefighters had to cut through the Hovakemian's roof to access the flames, noting extensive damage to the back of the Wood Ranch community home. Authorities scanned the scene for a risk of hazardous materials which could cause further damage to the already chaotic scene, however, Andrew Dowd of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, determined there was no threat. 'There's no apparent jet fuel. When firefighters arrive on scene for something like this, one of the things they want to try to determine is, do we have potential for a hazardous materials incident, significant fuel spill, something like that,' Dowd said. 'With this type of small, fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft, the determination was made that we didn't have a significant hazardous materials risk.' About 40 firefighters responded to the crash, and local police closed streets around the area. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has since launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, reviewing flight records, maintenance logs, weather conditions, and air traffic communications. 'When you have visibility like it is today, it's always a concern. I don't know... it's way, way too early in this investigation for any of that to be factored in,' a law enforcement officer said at the scene. NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson said once the wreckage of the plane is documented, it will be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation. As part of the ongoing FAA and NTSB investigation, the Hovakemian's home has been red-taped, meaning they won't be allowed back inside anytime soon. The FAA issued the following statement: 'A Vans RV-10 crashed near High Meadow Street and Wood Ranch Parkway in Simi Valley, California, around 2:10 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 3. The pilot was alone on board. The plane departed from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was heading to Camarillo Airport. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates.' The horrifying crash mirrors a similar incident earlier this year in Fullerton, where a Van's RV-10 suffered mechanical failure, killing the pilot and his daughter while injuring 19 others. The NTSB's preliminary report in that case suggested the plane's door may have been improperly secured. A preliminary report on the Simi Valley crash could take weeks to release, with a final report expected months later, the Associated Press reported.
