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A tragic midair collision between two single-engine planes resulted in the death of one pilot near Lancaster, Southern California, on Sunday (September 22). The incident occurred around 1 p.m. PT, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The planes involved were a Nanchang CJ-6 and a Yakovlev Yak-52, both models known for their use in aerobatics and hobby flights.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to reports of downed planes and confirmed the fatality upon arrival. The other pilot involved in the collision reported no injuries. The planes landed near the intersections of 47th Street East and Ave F, and 60th Street East and Ave G in Lancaster, respectively.
The Yak-52 is a Soviet-era aircraft from the 1970s, owned by Fight’s On! LLC out of San Marcos, according to FAA records. The Nanchang CJ-6 is a Chinese military aircraft from the 1960s, originally used for basic training.
The cause of the collision remains unclear. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be investigating the crash. The identities of the pilots have not been released.