CHINO, Calif. — Two people were killed aboard a vintage plane that crashed and burst into flames near a Southern California airfield during a weekend Father’s Day event hosted by an air museum, authorities said Sunday.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the twin-engine Lockheed 12A crashed shortly after 12:30 p.m. Saturday, just west of Chino Airport in San Bernardino County.
Firefighters doused the flames within 10 minutes before finding the two people dead inside, said Chino Valley Fire District Battalion Chief Bryan Turner. The victims’ names were not released as of Sunday afternoon.
Turner described the aircraft as older and historical. The plane belonged to the Yanks Air Museum, the Southern California News Group reported.
The crash occurred during the Yanks Air Pops & Props event, although it was not immediately clear whether that plane was part of the show.
“At this time we are working with local authorities and the FAA. Yanks 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 through this difficult time,” the air museum said on Facebook.
The museum has hundreds of restored airplanes, the news group said.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.