A homemade kit plane crashed into two homes in Simi Valley on Saturday afternoon, killing the pilot, a passenger, and a dog, authorities confirmed. The Vans RV-10 aircraft had departed from Lancaster and was headed to Camarillo when it went down around 2 p.m. on High Meadow Street.
Witnesses reported the plane “flying on its side” and “wobbling” before it crashed. One said, “It just barely made it over the hill.” A homeowner, Arman Hovakemian, described grabbing a hose to fight the flames: “I saw the fire on the plane, and then I saw the fire on the house… then it just exploded.”
Firefighters responded quickly, cutting through the roof to access the flames. While both homes were damaged, no residents were injured. Authorities confirmed there was no significant hazardous material risk: “We didn’t have a significant hazardous materials risk,” said Andrew Dowd of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.
About 40 firefighters were involved in the response. The FAA and NTSB are now investigating, reviewing flight logs, weather, and communications. “It’s way, way too early in this investigation,” said a law enforcement officer at the scene. The crash site remains closed as investigators examine the wreckage.
