PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA – A small plane took off from Palo Alto Airport Wednesday, clipped power lines and then crashed into an East Palo Alto neighborhood. All three people on board the plane were killed in the accident and four houses were damaged. The plane took off from the airport in heavy fog just before 8 a.m. It was heading to Hawthorne Municipal Airport in Los Angeles County at the time. The Federal Aviation Administration said fog limited visibility to one-eighth of a mile.
Residents in the damaged neighborhood were surprised and thankful that no one on the ground was injured. The 1976 Cessna 310 had flown about a mile northwest when it sliced through a high-tension power line connected to a 60-foot-tall tower. The plane disintegrated in midair. Pieces fell on top of a home where a day care center operates, along with other houses and vehicles.
The impact of the plane hitting the power lines broke the top half of the tower and destroyed the electrical transmission lines that run to Palo Alto. Power was knocked out for more than 10 hours to all of the city’s 28,000 customers, including Stanford Hospital which used a backup generator.
The fog is one of many factors the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will examine in their investigation. Pilots can rely on their instruments to tell them where they are when visibility is limited. The person flying the Cessna filed a flight plan saying he would be flying through the use of the instruments. According to the FAA, pilots are provided with weather information and it is their decision whether to take off. Investigators will spend several days at the crash scene. A final accident report will be issued in six to 12 months.
This tragic accident claimed the lives of three people. Our hearts go out to their surviving family members. The cause of this accident will not be determined for some time. Extensive investigations follow every airplane accident. Several local and federal agencies are involved in every investigation.
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in an accident, the lawyers at Berman & Riedel, LLP in San Diego, California can help you with your case. Our lawyers have a well deserved reputation for excellence in plaintiff’s representation throughout the state of California. Contact the firm to set up a case consultation.
