Man Killed In San Diego County Plane Crash Identified

SAN DIEGO, CA — Authorities have publicly identified the man killed in a small plane crash over the weekend in northern San Diego County.

Howard Henry Rose, 77, of Chino was killed when the vintage military-style plane he was riding in crashed shortly after 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Altman Plants nursery in Fallbrook, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

Rose was the sole passenger in the single-engine aircraft that took off from Fallbrook Airpark.

"After takeoff, the plane ascended to approximately 50 feet in elevation prior to its engine stalling," the Medical Examiner's Office said in a news release. "The plane descended to the nursery property adjacent to the airpark and skipped on the ground numerous times prior to crossing a berm and coming to a stop next to a greenhouse."

Rose died at the scene, officials said.

"Upon their arrival, firefighters extricated the decedent from the cockpit and transitioned him to the ground prior to pronouncing death due to blunt force injuries," the Medical Examiner's Office said.

The pilot, whose name has not been released, was taken to Palomar Medical Center in critical condition.

Previous coverage:

• 1 Dead, 1 Injured After Plane Crashes At SoCal Plant Nursery
• Probe Continues Into Plane Crash That Killed 1, Injured Pilot