Two people were killed when a four-seater airplane barreled into the Watsonville Community Hospital on Thursday evening. The single engine Mooney, which took off from Watsonville Municipal Airport, was struggling to get above the fog line when it crashed. The victims were the pilot and a passenger.
Two people were killed when a four-seater airplane barreled into the Watsonville Community Hospital on Thursday evening. The single engine Mooney, which took off from Watsonville Municipal Airport, was struggling to get above the fog line when it crashed. The victims were the pilot and a passenger.
Police and firefighters say that no one was in the office of Dr. Cheryl Northey when the plane struck. Her office is part of the medical office compound which was closed for the evening. Hospital administrators speculate that the number of victims would have been much higher if the office was open at the time.
The plane hit the parking lot outside the office building first, shearing off a wing, then crashed into the building and exploded. Firefighters arrived within moments from an adjacent station and were able to douse the flames.
The plane is registered to two Santa Cruz locals, David Houghton of A+ Environmental Solutions and Chester Belknap. Police and firefighters have not confirmed whether either of the men were on board the plane at the time of the accident. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
