May 20 (Xinhua) — A small plane crashed at an elementary school in the U.S. state of California Wednesday morning, killing the pilot. The single engine civilian aircraft crashed onto the playground at Ralph Dunlap Elementary School in Orcutt, which has been closed due to COVID-19, and the solo pilot was killed on impact, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The aircraft sustained significant damage and burst into flames when it came down between basketball hoops, sending up a column of smoke visible throughout the neighborhood, a local news outlet, Santa Maria Times, reported, citing County Fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli. “There were no children in the area at the time, and there’s minor damage to some exterior containers but no damage to the school,” Bertucelli said. The cause of the crash remains unknown and investigation is ongoing. Enditem
