2 people and 1 dog killed in small plane crash into Simi Valley neighborhood, police say

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- A small, single-engine aircraft crashed into two homes and caused a fire in a Simi Valley neighborhood Saturday afternoon, according to authorities.

The pilot of the plane, a passenger, and a dog all died in the crash, the Simi Valley Police Department confirmed. There were no survivors onboard.

NOTE: The Ventura County Fire Department initially said it believed the pilot was the only person onboard. In a later update, Simi Valley PD said two people and a dog died.

The crash happened around 2 p.m. at the 200 block of High Meadow Street in the Wood Ranch area.

A second-alarm fire broke out as a result, but was knocked down.

Two homes were damaged in the crash. AIR7 flew over the scene, where one home had significant roof damage and debris around the property. A neighboring home appeared to have less damage.

Both of the affected homes had residents inside, but luckily, no one was hurt, the Ventura County FD said. About 40 firefighters responded to the scene.

The couple who lives in the home that had the most damage saw the plane coming down and got out just in time. They told Eyewitness News that they noticed the plane flying low, almost on its side, spiraling toward the ground.

The family's Ring camera captured what looked like an explosion and flames coming from the back of the home upon impact.

"But I came in to the patio door to warn her, and then I heard the bang, then I turned around, she was almost out," homeowner Arman Hovakemian said. "The hose was there, so I grabbed the hose because I saw the fire on the plane, and then I saw the fire on the house. I kept the hose on the plane, and then it just exploded, so I dropped it and I said, 'I need to kind of back away,' because I could smell a lot of gas and fuel."

Hovakemian said firefighters had to cut through the roof of the house to access the fire. He said there's also extensive damage to the back of his house.

"There's no apparent jet fuel. When firefighters arrive on scene for something like this, one of the things they want to try to determine is, do we have potential for a hazardous materials incident, significant fuel spill, something like that," said Andrew Dowd with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. "With this type of small, fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft, the determination was made that we didn't have a significant hazardous materials risk."

The FAA said the plane took off from Lancaster and was headed to Camarillo. The plane's flight path shows that when it reached the Wood Ranch neighborhood, it took a turn.

"There was another two minutes of this thing flying around... it was wobbling and just barely made it over the hill," a witness said.

Authorities did not immediately release the names of the two people who died.

From AIR7 video above the scene, you could barely make out the actual plane itself, which is reported to be a homemade kit plane. A lone tire was the only distinguishable part scattered amongst the home's patio furniture.

The cause of the crash is now being investigated, including whether the misty, cloudy afternoon played any part.

"When you have visibility like it is today, it's always a concern. I don't know... it's way, way too early in this investigation for any of that to be factored in," a law enforcement officer said at the scene.

As part of the ongoing FAA and NTSB investigation, the Hovakemian's home has been red-taped, meaning they won't be allowed back inside anytime soon.

The FAA issued the following statement:

A Vans RV-10 crashed near High Meadow Street and Wood Ranch Parkway in Simi Valley, California, around 2:10 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 3. The pilot was alone on board. The plane departed from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was heading to Camarillo Airport. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates.