2 dead, 19 injured after small plane crashes into Fullerton building

FULLERTON, Calif. - Two people were killed and several others were injured when a small plane crashed into a building and caught fire in Fullerton Thursday afternoon.

The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of Raymer Avenue, just a mile from the Fullerton Airport. 

Two people were confirmed dead and 19 others injured. Police said 11 were taken to the hospital while eight were treated and released at the scene. 

The plane was owned by Pascal Reid of Huntington Beach, according to FAA records.

The Huntington Beach High School soccer program posted a statement on Instagram saying Reid and his 16-year-old daughter, Kelly, were killed in the crash.

"Kelly was an amazing girl, genuine and kind with such passion for life," the post stated. "Kelly was a loved member of the varsity team and wore the number 6. The number 6 symbolizes love, creating harmony and taking care of others. I cannot think of a better way to describe our special number 6. Kelly was a natural caregiver and always put others first. She will be deeply missed. Her father was at every single game, always so proud of his daughter. Our love and prayers go out to Tara and Rebekah Reid."

Friends and classmates of Kelly Reid gathered at a Huntington Beach church Friday to remember her and her father.

"Kelly will be remembered as someone who was just as joyous as one could be, and I think what I want to carry on from her is, like, the hard work and passion she had for every little thing she did," classmate Maia Dadakis told reporters outside the church. "She was loving and kind towards everyone."

The building the plane crashed into, Michael Nicholas Design Factory, was evacuated. 

"When we were working inside the building we just saw a big blow up on top of the roof, on the ceiling. Then our boss shouted ‘evacuate the building, everybody get out,'" one witness said. 

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Police said the plane – a Vans RV-10 experimental aircraft – crashed through the roof of a furniture manufacturing building while making its approach to the runway. Then, it caught on fire, sending large plumes of smoke in the air, visible from miles away. 

Video from the scene showed a gaping hole in the building's roof where the plane struck it. 

Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung released the following statement saying in part, "As we come together in the wake of this tragedy, the City of Fullerton is committed to providing support for all those affected and working with the agencies involved to uncover the details of this incident. We are grateful for the strength of our community and the compassion we show one another in times of crisis. Together, we will move forward with resolve, care, and unity."

According to the lieutenant on scene, the airplane had departed from Fullerton Airport and was returning to land at the airfield when it crashed. 

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that it was a single-engine Van's Aircraft RV-10 that crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash with the FAA.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. On Friday, crews removed what was left of the mangled plane from the warehouse. 

In November 2024, a single-engine plane crashed in the 2400 block of Artesia Avenue, also just east of Fullerton Airport, leaving the two people aboard with "moderate" injuries. That plane also crashed while trying to land at the airport.