Identities Of 6 Killed In Riverside County Plane Crash Released

MURRIETA, CA — Authorities have identified the six people killed when a small plane crashed early Saturday in Riverside County.

The Cessna C550 business jet went down around 4:15 a.m. in a field in the area of Auld and Briggs roads near the French Valley Airport in Murrieta, according to authorities, who said the aircraft burst into flames, burning about one acre of vegetation. The six occupants, who ranged in age from 25-51, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.

They were identified by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office as:

• Abigail Tellez-Vargas, 33, of Murrieta
• Riese Lenders, 25, of Rancho Palos Verdes
• Manuel Vargas-Regalado, 32, of Temecula
• Lindsey Gleiche, 31, of Huntington Beach
• Alma Razick, 51, of Temecula
• Ibrahem Razick, 46, of Temecula

This is the second fatal plane crash this month at the small county-owned airport in Murrieta. On July 4 at the airport, a Temecula pilot died and three people were injured after a single-engine Cessna 172 went down in a parking lot following takeoff.

After departing from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, the Cessna C550 crashed Saturday during its second approach to French Valley's single runway, according to authorities. The jet, which can seat up to 13 people, crashed about 500 feet short of the intended runway, said Elliott Simpson, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board who noted most of the airplane was consumed by fire.

Max Trescott, a California flight instructor who hosts the Aviation News Talk podcast, said data from a plane tracking website showed poor visibility in the moments before the crash.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.