One Dead After Small Plane Crashes Into Moss Beach Home

MOSS BEACH (CBS SF) -- One person is dead after a small plane crashed into a home in Moss Beach not far from the Half Moon Bay Airport Friday morning, authorities said.

San Mateo County Fire received a call at 11:18 a.m. of a small plane crashing north of the Half Moon Bay Airport.

According to fire officials, the plane ended up at 1065 Park Way near Orval Avenue, at edge of a residential neighborhood near the airport. Initially one person was reported injured, but authorities later confirmed that one person was dead.

Fire crews responded to the scene with heavy rescue equipment. The San Mateo County Sheriff's office also responded.

A man, apparently the pilot, was pulled from the wreckage alive. Minutes later he was airlifted to a trauma center.

His passenger -- reported to be his wife -- was killed.

No one on the ground was hurt.

The single-engine Cessna 172 airplane had flown out of Sacramento Executive Airport Friday morning, according to authorities.

Video from Chopper 5 showed the wreckage of the plane at one end of a home. There appeared to be some damage where the plane hit the structure, but most of the home seemed to be intact.

Patti Gallinetti lives one block away and saw the dramatic rescue unfold.

"It was just one crash, like metal. Just BOOM!" explained Gallinetti. "It's an experience that I hope we don't have too often."

Damage on the ground showed the plane first clipped the corner of one house, then smashed into a parked pickup truck before tumbling across the street into the garage portion of the other house.

One experienced Half Moon Bay pilot told KPIX 5 the position of the plane indicated that it was probably on final approach when it went down.

"It could have been anything. Fuel exhaustion, pilot error, pilot incapacitation. It's extremely rare," said pilot George Golda.  "I've been living here for 35 years.  This is the only crash I've ever seen."

NTSB and FAA investigators will take over the scene to try and find out exactly what caused the crash.