A light plane crash Sunday night in a wilderness area near Sierra Highway sent two people to the hospital and sparked a small brush fire.
The crash occurred at 6:30 p.m. in the Angeles National Forest about a mile south of the Bouquet Reservoir and west of the Agua Dulce Airpark. The plane, a 1950 Stinson 108-3, crashed on the top of hill near Sierra Highway and Steele Road.
The pilot, Davis Zeituni, 50, and passenger Danny Santana, 52, were rescued after they hiked a half-mile and signaled helicopters with their cell phones. Zeituni was reportedly uninjured and Santana complained of pain to his right arm and abdomen.
According to Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Bryski, deputies at the Santa Clarita Valley Station received two phone calls reporting the crash. When they reached the remote area, “they discovered a small brushfire, but due to the mountainous terrain, they were unable to get near the area of the fire to search for a downed airplane.”
A Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter crew found the Zeituni and Santana on a hill near the brush fire. The helicopter “landed, picked up the two, and transported them to Henry Mayo Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries,” Bryski said in a statement.
Federal Aviation Administration records show the fixed-wing, single-engine, 4-seat aircraft is registered to Zaiet Hanna of Agua Dulce.
The FAA is investigating the cause of the crash. It was unclear whether the plane experienced engine trouble or ran out of fuel. The pilot was asked to submit to a blood test. The brush fire was held to about 7 acres.
Another view. Photo by Kreg Anderson.
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