Pilot killed in mid-air plane crash

LANCASTER, CA – A pilot lost his life following a midair collision between two single-engine planes in Southern California on Sunday, authorities reported. The incident involved a Nanchang CJ-6 and a Yakovlev Yak-52, both single-engine aircraft.

The collision occurred near Lancaster, in northern Los Angeles County, around 1 p.m. PT. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that only the pilots were aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash.

Responding to reports of the downed planes, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials discovered one pilot deceased upon arrival, while the other pilot reported no injuries. The locations of the crashes were identified: one plane landed near the intersection of 47th Street East and Avenue F, and the other near 60th Street East and Avenue G.

Both aircraft are used in aerobatics and for hobby flying. The Yak-52, a Soviet-era model from the 1930s, is owned by Fight’s On! LLC out of San Marcos, according to FAA records matched with the tail number. The Nanchang CJ-6 is a Chinese military training aircraft from the 1960s.

The identities of the pilots have not been disclosed, and the cause of the collision remains unclear. Investigations by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are ongoing.