Fatal Plane Crash Site On Mount Diablo Considered A Crime Scene
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY (CBS SF) -- A plane crashed near the summit of Mount Diablo killing the pilot. The wreckage is marked off as a crime scene.
The crash happened just a thousand feet below the summit.
The plane was flying from Hayward to Lincoln, California.
The pilot's family notified authorities when the aircraft did not land as scheduled. The exact time of the crash has yet to be determined.
Hikers spotted the burned wreckage of the single engine Mooney M20 off Summit Road, about two miles southwest of the peak of Mt. Diablo, on Saturday after the fog lifted.
The Contra Costa County coroner was called to the scene, inside Mount Diablo State Park, according to California State Parks Police spokeswoman Gloria Sandoval.
Federal Aviation Agency spokesperson Ian Gregor told KPIX that officials believe only the pilot was on board.
The trail leading down to the wreckage has been roped off with crime scene tape and is covered by dense fog.
"They just thought it was unusual the it went down and they just wanted it treated as a crime scene until they can come out here and make their own findings," said Mt. Diablo State Park. Ranger Cameron Morrison.
"It could be a mechanical problem, it could be a variety of different factors that caused the plane to go down. We don't have any of that information at this point," said Morrison. "It is a very visible landmark in the county...weather conditions might have played into it, as well. At this point we don't know the exact time it went down. A lot of unknown at this point."
Investigators are flying in from out of state to look into the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to arrive Sunday.
