Cable airport crash: 3 people killed after small plane plows into a hangar at Southern California

On Sunday, July 30, three people were killed in a plane crash at Cable airport in Upland, California.

According to CBS, the three deceased victims were the only passengers on a single-engine Beechcraft P35. Responding to the scene, California officials had to suppress a structure fire that stemmed from the accident.

The names of the victims have not yet been released.

Trigger warning: This article concerns a fatal plane crash, the reader's discretion is advised

Officials are currently investigating the circumstances behind the Cable airport plane crash. As per USA Today, in the aftermath of the accident, police and fire officials could be seen searching the hangar for any signs of what led to incident.

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The timeline of the Cable airport plane crash

The crash at Cable airport was initially reported at 6:40 am, after the San Bernardino Fire Department was notified of a structure fire in the area.

A 911 caller told fire safety officials that the fire had started after a small plane had crashed during departure. Officials found three victims deceased at the scene.

An anonymous man who lived near the scene described his experience to KTLA reporters.

The man said:

“I heard a very loud noise, sounded like a truck hit a building. I haven’t had a chance to look at the scene yet, but I talk to these flight students all the time…I’m worried that I might know some of the people.”

Another anonymous resident of the area said:

“My dad flies out of Apple Valley Airport and lands here all the time, and we do occasionally see people come up short and a couple crashes here. But nothing this bad, ever. This is really, really bad.”

Authorities noted that upon confronting the situation, they extinguished the fire in just 15 minutes. Fire officials said that they had to consider the presence of the hangar and a nearby fuel truck, as these could lead to further issues.

However, they ultimately managed to control the situation without any major injuries. Subsequently, the officials canvassed the scene for any signs of damage, or potential safety violations that could have contributed to the three deaths.

As reported by CBS, the Cable airport hangar which was damaged in the incident was known to support the Ontario Police Department's Aviation Unit. As a result, there were several police helicopters near the scene of the fire.

Eric Sherwin, a public Information Officer for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said that the hangar sustained moderate damage. However, the police helicopters reportedly did not sustain any major damage.

The Cable aiport crash is currently under investigation by The Upland Police Department and the National Transportation Safety Board.