California Plane Crash: Faulty Door and Human Tragedy

A small plane crashed near Fullerton Airport, killing the pilot and his teenage daughter. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that a faulty door, which was not properly secured, contributed to the accident. The plane had been assembled in 2011 with parts shipped between 2007 and 2008. The pilot had made modifications to the door-locking system, which failed to alert him to the open door.

On January 2, 2025, a tragic plane crash occurred near Fullerton Airport in California. The experimental amateur-built Vans Aircraft RV-10, piloted by Pascal Reid of Huntington Beach, slammed into a furniture warehouse. The crash resulted in the deaths of Reid and his 16-year-old daughter, Kelly, who was a junior at Huntington Beach High School and played varsity soccer, lacrosse, and flag football.
The NTSB conducted a preliminary investigation and identified a faulty door as a primary cause of the accident. The door was not flush with the fuselage and had not been properly secured. Reid had received a retrofit kit for the door assembly in January 2010, but he had made modifications to the standard door-locking system, including using solid steel locking pins instead of aluminum pins and replacing UHMW polythene door blocks with chamfered aluminum blocks. Additionally, the secondary safety latch had not been installed, and the door latch indicator system had been modified, which meant that only two reed switches were installed, failing to warn the pilot if the forward latch pins had failed to fully engage.
The crash also injured 19 people on the ground, with eight suffering serious injuries and 11 minor injuries. Surveillance video showed that the left door of the plane was in the down position but not flush with the fuselage. Reid radioed for an immediate landing after takeoff, but the plane continued to fly erratically, banking aggressively left and right before crashing into the warehouse in a fireball.
The investigation highlights the importance of adhering to safety protocols and ensuring that all safety measures are properly installed and functioning. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with experimental aircraft and the need for rigorous maintenance and inspection.

1. What was the cause of the plane crash?
   The faulty door, which was not properly secured, contributed to the accident.
2. Who were the victims of the crash?
   The pilot, Pascal Reid, and his 16-year-old daughter, Kelly.
3. What modifications did the pilot make to the door-locking system?
   The pilot used solid steel locking pins instead of aluminum pins and replaced UHMW polythene door blocks with chamfered aluminum blocks. The secondary safety latch was not installed, and the door latch indicator system was modified.

4. How many people were injured in the crash?
   Nineteen people were injured, with eight suffering serious injuries and 11 minor injuries.

5. What was the condition of the door before the crash?
   The left door was in the down position but not flush with the fuselage.

The California plane crash serves as a tragic reminder of the importance of adhering to safety protocols and ensuring that all safety measures are properly installed and functioning. The investigation highlights the need for rigorous maintenance and inspection, particularly in experimental aircraft.