Two pilots die in small WWII plane crash during Father’s Day event in California

A World War II plane crashed during a Father’s Day event in California, killing two pilots aboard the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA said a twin-engine Lockheed 12A crashed shortly after leaving Chino Airport in California around 12:35 p.m. on Saturday, June 15.

Authorities said two people were on board when the plane crashed. No one on the ground was injured, authorities said.

Authorities did not identify the pilots, but according to two friends who spoke with FOX 11, one of the victims was Frank Wright, chief of operations at the Yanks Air Museum.

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The witness told FOX 11 that Wright had participated in a panel discussion at a Father’s Day event at the museum before the accident.

The witness told the station about the moment the plane crashed, saying “it happened right in front of my eyes.”

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Two people who were aboard a World War II plane died Saturday when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Chino Airport in Southern California, according to the FAA. (ABC7)

The witness recalled the moment of impact to FOX 11 saying the plane was “no more than 300 feet in the air” when it began to bank to the left.

“It went into a nosedive and the first part of the plane that hit was the left wing,” the witness said. “And what happened was [an] immediate explosion. As [a] big fireball, black smoke.”

The Yanks Air Museum issued a statement and said they are working with the FAA to determine what caused the plane to crash.

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“Yesterday, shortly after noon, one of our aircraft was involved in an accident in an unoccupied field near the Chino Airport, resulting in two fatalities on board the aircraft. At this time, we are working with local authorities and the FAA “the museum said.

The museum added that they will remain closed until further notice.

“The Yankees Air Museum will be closed until further notice as our family deals with this tragedy, and we appreciate your patience and respect for our privacy as we navigate this difficult time,” the museum wrote.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the accident.

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The NTSB told FOX 11 that an investigator would be on scene Sunday and the plane would be taken to a secure facility for investigation.