A crash occurred near Phyllis Road in Cottonwood around 3:35 p. m., prompting the dispatch of emergency responders, including police, fire, and medical personnel, to the scene.
Officials reported that two individuals were aboard the aircraft, with one managing to extricate themselves from the wreckage before receiving on-site medical treatment and subsequent airlift to a hospital.
The pilot sustained injuries in the crash and tragically passed away shortly after.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are expected to arrive on Wednesday morning, reports the Mirror.
An update was provided by the Redding Crime and Community Alert Facebook page: “The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office and CAL FIRE Tehama-Glenn Unit are on the scene of a plane crash on Phyllis Road southwest of Cottonwood Tuesday afternoon.”
Action News Now reporter Jesse Angelo noted that he saw an ambulance leaving the area as he arrived at the crash site.
Authorities have cordoned off the crash area, and significant damage was observed to the aircraft wreckage.
Local news outlet Action News Now reported: “The Red Bluff Office of the California Highway Patrol tells Action News Now that at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, they were notified by the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office of a possible plane crash in the area of Phyllis Road.”
This fatal incident is not the first of its kind to occur in this part of California in recent times.
In a tragic turn of events in February 2023, a 34 year old man met his demise while piloting a sports-light aircraft from Corning Municipal Airport, crashing fatally into an almond orchard.
The deceased has been named as Rueben Lima by authorities.
According to an eyewitness account, Lima was performing stunt manoeuvres with his aircraft and was in a descent when the wing of the plane detached.
“The aircraft dove into the almond orchard and it appears the pilot, Mr. (Rueben) Lima was killed instantly,” reported the witness.