Two Recovering After Indian Wells Plane Crash

INDIAN WELLS – A small plane has crashed on Miles Avenue, just north of Washington.

Two people were on board the plane at the time, and were transported to the trauma center at Desert Regional Medical Center with major injuries.For hours after the crash, trafficwas being diverted around the area.

According to an eyewitness, John Miller, the plane was headed from the east towards the west when the engine lost power. Miller was 800 feet above the plane flying his own aircraft when he heard the pilot of the plane yell mayday over the radio. Moments later theplane crashed just east of the Indian WellsTennis Garden.

Jerry Larios was driving home from workwhen he looked up and saw the plane start to crash. Larios says, “WhenI ran over to help you could see one of them was bleeding badly,the plane’s parts were everywhere.”

The plane was a SportCruiser. It was registered to a Palm Springs flightschool, Desert West Aviation. The flight plan obtained by News Channel 3indicated the pilot was en route from Palm Springs International Airport to Thermal Airport.

David Shapiro, the plane’s owner and founder of the flight school Desert West Aviation, said two “experienced pilots” were in the plane, which was heavily damaged.

TheNTSB will investigate why the SportCruiser’s engine reportedly lost power, Gregor said.

Stay with News channel 3 and KESQ.com for the latest.