2 Killed In Banning Plane Crash Were Big Bear Residents

BANNING, CA — Federal Aviation Administration officials have still not released the tail number of a small plane that crashed in Banning last week — a key detail that would reveal who the registered owner of the aircraft is.

A months-long investigation is underway by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA into the cause of the deadly crash, but few public details have been released in the meantime.

"FAA will release the aircraft tail number after investigators verify it at the scene," the FAA said Friday in an emailed statement. Follow-up messages to the federal agency have not been returned.

The tail number would also confirm the plane's make and model, although some news outlets have reported it as a Cessna 150.

The crash was reported around 9:30 a.m. Friday near Banning Municipal Airport, killing both people on board, officials confirmed. The aircraft went down in a vacant lot on the northwest side of the airport that is located at 200 S. Hathaway St.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said a small fire ignited and both of the plane's occupants died at the scene.

Over the weekend, the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Bureau reported that the two victims were men in their 20s, both from Big Bear. Their names and exact ages were not publicly available pending further forensic findings.

There were no injuries reported on the ground, according to the FAA.

Friday's full FAA statement read:

"An unidentified airplane crashed in a vacant lot northwest of Banning Municipal Airport in Banning, Calif., around 9:30 a.m. local time Friday. There were two people aboard. No injuries were reported to anyone on the ground. FAA will release the aircraft tail number after investigators verify it at the scene. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide additional updates. Neither agency identifies people involved in aircraft accidents."