1 Dead in Hesperia “Hobby Plane” Crash
VVNG Staff March 7, 2017
HESPERIA, Calif. (VVNG.com) A small ultralight aircraft crashed near the Hesperia Airport killing one person on board Tuesday morning.
The crash was reported around 10:00 a.m. just west of the airport landing strip. The airport, located on Sante Fe Avenue and Ranchero Road is a public-use and privately owned airport.
Deputies from the Hesperia Station and the San Bernardino County Fire Department arrived on scene and located the two-seater “hobby” aircraft, according to Hesperia Spokeswoman Jackie Chambers.
When authorities arrived they determined the aircraft sustained major damage during the incident.
Chambers said a white male adult was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was pronounced deceased on scene.
It’s unclear if it was attempting to land or depart from the airport.
FAA does not require ultralights to have any proof of airworthiness. It is the responsibility of the owner to make sure the ultralight is safe. A pilot license is not required for those flying an amateur-built single-seat aircraft, however, a two-seater requires a Sport Pilot Certificate or higher to fly.
Hazmat has been requested to respond to the area for approximately 10 gallons of fuel that leaked from the hobby plane.
The FAA and the NTSB have been summoned to the site of the accident and will be further handling the investigation.
More information will be updated as it becomes available.
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The pilot of a small plane was killed when he crashed at Hesperia Airport Tuesday morning, officials said.
Officials investigate a fatal plane crash at the Hesperia Airport on March 7, 2017. (Credit: Jose Gonzalez)
The incident involving a "light aircraft" was reported about 10 a.m. at the north end of the airport, apparently shortly after take off, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Video from the scene showed the mangled ultralight aircraft, described as a Quicksilver MXL II.
The pilot was the sole occupant of the plane.
Hazmat crews were at the scene Tuesday afternoon cleaning up a small oil spill from the crash.
Jay Carlson, a friend of the victim, told KTLA that he heard about the plane crash from a mutual friend and he got “chills down his body.”
Carlson said the victim, who he identified as Robert Alexander, had been building his aircraft for a while and he couldn’t wait to fly it.
He added that the victim, who was in his early 60s, built the plane as a hobby and had a "hard landing" after testing out the plane last week.
Carlson said his friend liked to “live on the edge.”
“He was always gung-ho for anything,” he said.
Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said in an email that the plane appeared to be an “unregistered ultralight.”
He added that his agency does not investigate those types of planes because they don’t have FAA airworthiness certificates and you don’t need a pilot license to fly them.”
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Date:
07-MAR-2017
Time: 10:00
Type: Quicksilver MXL II
Owner/operator: Private
Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: North of Hesperia Airport (L26), Hesperia, CA -
United States of America Phase: Unknown
Nature: Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Narrative:
The plane crashed under unknown circumstances near the runway of the airport. The pilot died in the crash.
Sources:
CBS Los Angeles
http://abc7.com/news/1-dead-in-small-plane-crash-near-hesperia-airport-officials-say/1789064/
http://ktla.com/2017/03/07/pilot-killed-when-light-aircraft-crashes-in-hesperia/
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tGzA228Nqjo