ROBLA — A small plane crashed on Christmas Eve Wednesday, in the Robla neighborhood, leaving two men in critical condition.
The incident was first reported in real-time on the Rio Linda Online Facebook page, where multiple readers on the scene contributed video and photographs of the crash site before first responders had arrived.
The crash occurred around 12:30 p.m. in an open field near Rio Linda Boulevard and Claire Avenue, just east of Marysville Boulevard. According to the Sacramento Fire Department, the aircraft had just departed from the Rio Linda Airport, located less than half a mile from where the plane went down.
Rescue and Injuries
Sacramento Fire Department and Metro Fire Engine 111 crews were the first agencies on the scene. Upon arrival, they found the passenger trapped inside the wreckage. Firefighters were forced to cut into the fuselage to extricate him.
Both occupants were transported to Mercy San Juan in Carmichael in critical condition.
- The Passenger: Identified as a 70-year-old male, he went into cardiac arrest during the crash but was revived by responders. He suffered a laceration to his forehead and fractures to both bones in both of his arms.
- The Pilot: A 40-year-old male, suffered a laceration to the forehead and a broken left arm.
The Aircraft and Investigation
The plane is identified as a 1966 Piper PA-32 “Cherokee Six,” a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft. FAA registration records list the owner as A&R Aero LLC, based in the Natomas Creek neighborhood of Sacramento.
Flight data from the tracking site FlightRadar24 indicates the aircraft struggled to gain altitude, reaching only a few hundred feet before descending.
It should be noted that the pilot appeared to intentionally maneuver the aircraft into the open field to avoid nearby homes and structures. No buildings were damaged on the ground.
Both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have dispatched investigators to determine the cause of the crash.
Traffic on Rio Linda Boulevard and Marysville Boulevard was backed up significantly following the incident as emergency crews worked the scene.
Photos and video were provided by Teresa Michaelson, Susan Loden, Marylyn Lou Garner Fitchie, Marc Cardenas, Elizabeth Echols, Asia Maxie Grant, and Amber Marie.
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