LOS ANGELES — Five people were killed when their twin-engine Cessna airplane crashed near South Coast Plaza in Santa Ana on Sunday afternoon, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.
The plane crashed in the parking lot of a Staples office supply store, fire authority spokesman Stephen Concialdi said.
OCFA Capt. Tony Bommarito said the plane struck a vehicle that was unoccupied.
“Fortunately, that person was inside the store shopping at the time of the impact,” Bommarito told reporters during a news conference.
The pilot of the Cessna 414 declared an emergency before the plane crashed into the parking lot near John Wayne Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
FAA records show the fixed-wing airplane was owned by Category III Aviation Corp., a real estate consulting firm in San Francisco and was bound for John Wayne Airport.
“We do not have confirmation on a departure airport at this time,” said Arlene Salac, an FAA spokeswoman.
The FAA will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the accident.
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