A serious aviation tragedy has rocked the US state of California. Two children died at the scene and two adults are in critical condition after a small private plane crashed in northwest Fresno on Saturday. The crash occurred at around 1:50 p.m. local time on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in a residential area near the Sierra Sky Park Airport.
According to the local sheriff's office, the single-engine Grumman American Aviation Corp. AA-5 crashed and immediately burst into flames on top of a hill near the San Joaquin River, near the 7300 block of Blythe Boulevard. Dozens of fire and police crews arrived on the scene in a timely manner. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire in the dry grass, preventing the fire from spreading to neighboring residential properties. When the aircraft crashed, power was also cut off in the area, but PG&E crews have since restored it.
All four people on board have been identified as passengers on the plane. The two children were pronounced dead at the scene, while the adults were rushed to the “Community“ Regional Medical Center in critical condition. Authorities are not releasing the identities of the victims or their family relationships at this time. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have taken over the full investigation to determine the exact causes of the serious crash.