A small plane struck a house in northern Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday morning, reportedly injuring three people. That definitely is not how you want to start your day.
According to fire officials, the Piper PA-28 had a mechanical problem after taking off from Deer Valley Airport and smashed into the house while returning to the airport just before 7:30 a.m. KYMA News reports that a witness said the plane struck one house before falling into another home’s backyard.
The plane crash injured three people
The crash injured three people: one person in the house, a pilot instructor, and a student on the plane. The accident hospitalized the instructor and the student in stable condition with minor cuts and burn injuries, according to Capt. Todd Keller with the Phoenix Fire Department. One of the homeowners also went to the hospital, but doctors expect them to be okay. The plane also hit a baby’s bedroom in one of the homes, but the baby was not in the room when the crash occurred.
“It hit two houses. Fortunately, everyone was okay,” Keller said, adding, “Early indications are that the plane did hit that first house, landed in that second house’s backyard. That first house person is being transported for precautionary measures.”
The FAA will be investigating the plane crash
Keller went on to say that Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators were on their way to the scene. “I think it’s going to be a lengthy process…. we can talk to them. They’ll get witness accounts,” he said.
Investigators expect the FAA to release a preliminary report in the next few days, but they do not currently know the cause of the plane crash.
The plane crash displaced four people and four dogs from their homes
The police blocked off the street for several hours. Additionally, hazmat personnel responded to a fuel leak from one of the wings that entered a house’s attic.
“We go through the wash all the time riding our bikes, and to see a plane in the backyard of a house is wild,” Phoenix resident Germain Huval told AZ Central.
“They seem to be in good spirits, considering everything,” Red Cross spokesperson Georgi Donchetz said about the residents of the homes. “Shows how important it is to, you know, step up for your neighbors and be there.”