Pilot Killed When Plane Departing From Santa Clara Crashes In Truckee

TRUCKEE (CBS/AP) -- Federal investigators are trying to determine the cause of a small plane crash that killed a pilot near the Sierra town of Truckee.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the pilot was flying alone when the twin-engine Cessna 421 crashed Thursday afternoon in the Tahoe National Forest about 15 miles northeast of Truckee.

The pilot's name wasn't immediately released.

The plane was en route from Santa Clara to Reno, Nev., when it went off radar about 20 miles west of its destination.

Witnesses reported seeing a fireball in the sky before the plane went down.

The FAA says the plane was registered to Reno-based Tri-Wings LLC.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an investigation into the crash.

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