Investigation, cleanup underway in deadly Fullerton plane crash

Federal investigators are in the process of determining what happened in the lead up to a plane crash in Orange County that killed two and injured 19 others Thursday afternoon.

The experimental aircraft went down around 2:15 p.m. in Fullerton, crashing into the roof of a furniture warehouse and immediately igniting a fire.

Several warehouse workers were injured in the ensuing blaze, and the pilot and passenger were killed in the collision.

Edwin Cano, an employee at the Michael Nicholas Designs furniture warehouse, described the chaotic scene that unfolded in the moments after the plane came crashing down overhead.

"One of my coworkers had his hair burned off, his shirt was also burned off, it was only a few pieces of fabric left on his back," Cano said in Spanish in a Friday interview with the media.

Paramedics transported 11 people to local hospitals, while eight others were treated and released at th scene.

The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, which responds to all aviation-related accidents, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The two Federal agencies will attempt to find clarity regarding what led to the plane losing altitude and crashing shortly after takeoff.

Panicked recordings between the pilot and air traffic control indicated that the plane experienced some type of emergency that required an immediate return to the airport. The airport tower, officials said, cleared the pilot to land at any available runway.

"The plane appeared to make a 180-degree left turn ... and ultimately crashed about 1000 feet of short of the runway," Eliott Simpson, an NTSB spokesperson said during a news conference Thursday night.

On Friday, crews were in the process of removing the wreckage from the crash site and transporting it to a remote storage facility for further investigation.

The Van’s RV-10 aircraft is a popular "kit" for aircraft enthusiasts who want to assemble their own personal plane. There are about 1,100 of that model of plane in use around the world.

While given the designation of "experimental," kit-built airplanes have been in use "since the beginning of aviation," Simpson said. When fully assembled, the planes still need to undergo an inspection and licensing approval through the FAA.

Dick Knapinski of the Experimental Aircraft Association said the safety record and reputation of the RV-10 and the plane's manufacturer is "very good."

"It's really got a very good track record, not only the RV-10 but the entire family of Van's aircraft," Knapinski said. "It's been something that has been a very solid aircraft, a very safe, stable aircraft and one that's been flown hundreds of thousands of hours since they were introduced some 50 years ago."

The FAA was expected to release its preliminary details in its investigation Friday, while the NTSB could take several weeks before releasing its initial findings. A final report by the NTSB could take upwards of a year.

Those injured in the warehouse fire suffered various degrees of injury, but all were expected to recover.