Two people were killed Tuesday when a plane crashed into a residential home in Newberg, Oregon, police say.
Firefighters located the aircraft and initially confirmed two passengers were inside the plane after multiple witnesses reported the incident at roughly 7 p.m., according to a Facebook post from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue (TVFR). Callers said they saw “a small airplane spiraling toward the ground and crashing near North Cedar Street,” the fire department wrote.
One passenger was declared dead at the scene, while another was removed from the plane and transported via Life Flight helicopter for treatment at a Portland trauma hospital. Rescue crews discovered a deceased third passenger as they investigated further, marking two total fatalities, according to the press release.
No pedestrians on the ground or near the home were injured by the crash, according to the fire department. No one was inside the house when first responders arrived, but the homeowners later said there were people in the house when the plane crashed who were able to safely evacuate the residence. (RELATED: ‘I Started To Freak Out’: Pilot Recalls Moment Plane ‘Disappaered’ After Engine Failure Forced Evacuation)
Various entities assisted those affected by the incident — including the Red Cross, which helped the family displace from their home, and TVFR’s Technical Rescue Team and Urban Search and Rescue crews, who managed the scene and ensured the structural stability of the house.
Neither the aircraft nor the house caught fire, but crews were prepared to engage in fire suppression just in case, according to the press release.
The Newberg-Dundee Police Department is investigating the cause of death and the plane crash along with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.