Plane Crashes In Riverside County, Nearly Hits Homes; Pilot Hurt

HEMET, CA — A small plane crashed into a wall Tuesday morning and nearly hit a home in Riverside County, according to police and reports.

The plane crashed around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday near Warren Road and Mustang Way, Hemet police said. The pilot, who was the craft's sole occupant, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

A photo posted on social media by CBSLA showed the plane crashed through a wall and nearly hit a home. Video recorded by a passing vehicle showed orange flames and heavy smoke shooting out of the plane.

Hemet police, CAL FIRE, the Hemet Fire Department and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department all responded to the crash.

Michael Deardorff of Hemet told City News Service he was heading to Target with his wife when he saw the crash.

"I could see as soon as it touched the ground all the dust and everything flew up like it was coming in too hot," Deardorff told CNS. "And then all of a sudden it was just an explosion and flames galore."

He dialed 911 and drove back to notify two fire engine crews they had recently passed.

"When we looked up, it looked to us like the plane had just left (Ryan Airport) heading west and then it made a hard turn heading south and then it started getting lower and lower," Deardorff said. "All of a sudden it started getting almost to the ground."

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