Small plane crashes in Fresno County leaving 155 homes without power

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- 155 Fresno County homes were without power Saturday night after a small plane crash mere miles from Chandler Airport.

A pilot and two passengers on board were uninjured. The crash happened near Valentine and Church Avenues just after 5:00pm.

Just minutes away from its destination, authorities said the engine of this Cessna shut down.

"I knew something was wrong because it was going down slowly and slowly until it hit the ground," said witness Mitchell Cruz.

The Fresno based pilot and two friends, who were flying back from Oceana, were forced to make a crash landing in this basin.

"At that point if the engine is not giving you the power it needs the first priority is to land the aircraft and he did that," said FAA volunteer safety trainer Doug Betts. He said the pilot took the safest route to get his plane down. But he couldn't see the power lines and clipped them before landing. "It's probably going to total the plane. there's significant damage to the frame and air frame damage," said Betts.

The plane took out one power pole on the way down and left 155 homes in the area without power for the evening.

"I know it's very cold out tonight they're going to have to get plans in order, expect to be without power," said Public Information Officer Tony Botti of the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA will take over the investigation to see who was at fault, and why the engine stopped working mid-flight.

As of late Saturday, PG&E said the homes will be without power until early Sunday morning around 7 or 8 am.