The pilot of a four-seat airplane hit a tree while attempting to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Fullerton Municipal Airport on Monday afternoon, Nov. 25.
First responders went to the area of Gilbert Street and Artesia Avenue shortly after 1:45 p.m., said Kristy Wells, a spokeswoman for Fullerton police.
Both people on board suffered moderate injuries, authorities said, with the plane ending up about a half-mile from the runway’s edge.
The plane, a 1969 Mooney M-20, took off about 1:40 p.m., according to data on FlightAware, a flight-tracking website. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot said he was experiencing “engine roughness,” and the tower cleared the pilot to come back to land.
A short time later, the pilot radioed “Mayday” and said he was going to attempt to make an emergency landing near the train tracks.
The plane ended up between a street and a commercial building.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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