Local News
Pilot and his teen daughter killed as plane hits SoCal warehouse in Fullerton, injuring 19 people
The aircraft involved was identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a single-engine Van’s RV-10, a four-seat, kit-built plane constructed in 2011.
A tragic plane crash near Fullerton Municipal Airport on Thursday claimed the lives of two individuals and left 19 others injured after a small aircraft slammed into a warehouse, igniting a massive fire.
Authorities confirmed that the pilot and his 16-year-old daughter were killed in the crash. Their identities have not yet been released.
The crash occurred just after 2:00 PM when the single-engine Van’s RV-10 aircraft struck a furniture warehouse located in the 2300 block of Raymer Avenue.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane dive into the building, tilted on its side, followed by a fiery explosion and a towering plume of thick black smoke visible from miles away.
Emergency personnel from the Fullerton Fire Department and Police Department quickly arrived on the scene.
The resulting four-alarm fire prompted the evacuation of dozens of workers from the warehouse. Firefighters battled the intense flames, eventually extinguishing the blaze.
According to Michael Meacham, spokesperson for the Fullerton Fire Department, 19 people sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe.
Of those injured, 11 were transported to local hospitals, while the remaining eight were treated at the scene and released.
One video captured during the incident showed a person running from the burning building with their arm engulfed in flames.
Security footage captured the horrifying moment when the aircraft collided with the building, causing a fiery explosion. The footage shows the plane descending rapidly and striking the warehouse at an angle.
The aircraft involved was identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a single-engine Van’s RV-10, a four-seat, kit-built plane constructed in 2011.
Eliot Simpson, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), provided preliminary details on the crash trajectory.
The plane took off from Runway 24 at Fullerton at approximately 2:07 PM.
Shortly after reaching an altitude of 900 feet, the pilot issued a distress call requesting an immediate return to the airport.
Air traffic control cleared the pilot to land on any runway.
The plane attempted a 180-degree turn but crashed approximately 1,000 feet short of Runway 24.
Simpson stated that the NTSB will release a preliminary report within 14 days, with a final report expected within 12 to 18 months.
The FAA and NTSB are leading the investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Early findings indicate that the plane caught fire immediately upon impact with the building.
This tragic incident has raised questions about air safety in the vicinity of the airport and the potential risks posed to densely populated areas nearby. Authorities continue to work diligently to uncover the factors contributing to this devastating event.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.