Photos of Petaluma plane crash (Sonya Bagala / The Puma Prensa)
By Sonya Bagala, Staff Writer
What started as a normal Wednesday morning at a Petaluma golf course quickly turned into a tragedy when a small plane crashed into a nearby field, killing both onboard.
On Wednesday, October 7, around 10:40 a.m, a small plane crashed into a field next to Rooster Run Golf Course, near the Petaluma Municipal Airport. Golfers who were enjoying their morning suddenly witnessed a frightening scene unfold just feet away from the course.
According to ABC7 News, the plane was a Van’s RV-7A, a small two-seat aircraft which people can build themselves. Following takeoff, the plane remained in the air for a while before witnesses noticed something was wrong.
Gary McClintock, who was golfing nearby, told KTVU that the plane’s engine started sputtering before it began to fall. He said it looked like the pilot was trying to turn back toward the airport before the plane crashed and burst into flames. Emergency crews quickly arrived at the scene and hurried to put out the fire, but both people onboard were confirmed dead.
The crash was especially frightening for people at the golf course because similar accidents have happened near the airport before.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are still investigating what caused the crash to occur.