Pilot dies after small plane crashes into homes in Simi Valley

On Saturday afternoon, May 3, 2025, a small, home-built kit airplane crashed in Simi Valley, California, resulting in the death of the pilot, who was the only person aboard. The crash occurred around 2:10 PM near the intersection of High Meadow Street and Wood Ranch Parkway, damaging two homes in the vicinity. Fortunately, residents inside both homes evacuated safely without injuries, although the buildings sustained significant structural damage and experienced a fire due to the crash. Smoke was observed billowing from the roofs of the affected homes after the incident from the airplane's wreckage. The aircraft, identified as a Vans RV-10, took off from William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was en route to Camarillo Airport when the tragedy unfolded. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a big crash accompanied by a fireball and black smoke, which led to rapid responses from the Ventura County Fire Department. Approximately 40 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, extinguishing the flames and initiating overhaul and salvage operations. A group of responders secured the area by cordoning off streets to prevent civilians from getting close to the crash site. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have begun investigations to determine the cause of the crash, but additional details about the pilot or the specific technical problems leading to the incident have not yet been disclosed. This incident marks another tragic moment involving light aviation and raises ongoing concerns regarding the safety of small aircraft flying in residential areas.