Newly released audio captured the last communication between a pilot and air traffic control moments before a plane crashed into a Simi Valley neighborhood, killing two people and a dog.
It was just before 2 p.m. on Saturday when a small plane crashed into two houses in the Wood Ranch community, killing the people and animal on board while spreading fire and destruction to nearby homes.
Some pilots suspected weather may have been a factor, and while it’s too early to tell what exactly went wrong, the newly surfaced recording will help investigators.
“I need vectors,” the pilot is heard saying in the audio from Live ATC. “The plane keeps turning on me.”
“626 Bravo,” the air traffic controller replies. “You’re coming and broken and unreadable.”
The controller tried twice more to make contact, but then the radio went silent.
Filmed soon after, nearby Ring security footage captured a slim view of the plane crashing into the side of two homes, erupting into destruction with a loud bang.
Residents were inside the homes at the time, but were able to evacuate before the flames broke out.
“Something was off because he was just hitting the gas on and off and going in circles very, very low,” said Arnaldo Gonzalez, a Simi Valley resident.
KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw spoke with neighbors and witnesses on Monday, hearing that the plane was registered to Paul Berkovitz, a pilot who rescued dogs with his plane, and that the dog involved in the crash was possibly one of those rescued.
In addition, although officials have not released or confirmed the victims’ identities, several social media posts suggested Berkovitz was the pilot on board.
Berkovitz was the owner and builder of the Van’s RV-10 kit plane that the FAA said crashed into the Simi Valley homes.
“A Vans RV-10 crashed near High Meadow Street and Wood Ranch Parkway in Simi Valley, California, around 2:10 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 3,” explained the FAA in a statement. “The plane departed from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was heading to Camarillo Airport. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.”
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