• 11
  • July
    2011

A doctor at Watsonville Community Hospital in California had been in the middle of a meeting when he heard sirens. Unbeknownst to him, while he was in the meeting, a small private plane had crashed into a hospital building adjacent to the main entrance.

When a plane crash occurs, the aftermath can be devastating. Not only are the individuals aboard the plane at great risk of serious injury or even death, but people in the vicinity of the crash could also be hurt or killed. Often, investigators will try to determine what caused the crash.

From what investigators can tell, the pilot of the small airplane had taken off from the local airport. According to a pilot who had been next to the airport, it appeared that the plane's pilot was unable to get high enough in order to clear the hospital building. There had been evening fog that may have prevented the pilot from seeing the hospital in time.

The small plane, unable to clear the fog line, crashed into the hospital where the offices are located. There did not appear to be anyone in the offices at the time nor were there any patients in the area otherwise the number of injured and killed could have been greater.

Those who saw the accident told responders that the plane caught on fire after crashing into the building. The details are sparse, so it is unknown whether the two victims were killed in the crash or died later from injuries.

Any fatal accident is a tragic event for those who knew the victims. Family and friends are left to mourn the loss of a loved one. In some instances, the family of the victim can seek compensation when the crash was due to the negligence of another. However in this particular case, until the investigation is closed, the cause of the crash will remain speculation.

Source: The Sacramento Bee online, "Two die as airplane crashes into hospital in California," Cathy Kelly, 08 July 2011