Local News

Plane Crashes at Fullerton Airport

A small Piper PA-24-400 airplane crash-landed at the Fullerton Airport on the afternoon of August 30, leaving the pilot Ronald Richmond and passenger Donald Mikami (a flight instructor) injured. They were transported to a local trauma center and have since been released.

The Fullerton Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority responded to the crash on the north side of the Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.

According to Fullerton Airport Manager Brendan O’Reilly, the pilot (Richmond) was undergoing a bi-annual flight review with Mikami. The airplane came in too low for its landing, clipped a chain link fence, and crash-landed on its belly.

The crash caused the airport to be closed to air traffic for several hours.

Photo courtesy of Brendan O’Reilly, Fullerton Airport Manager.


1 reply »

  1. I sometimes worry about the pilot classes conducted out of Fullerton airport _ especially when very low flying planes are seen in my neighborhood. Not long ago one buzzed very low over my roof before heading back up to a decent altitude. Do we need better restrictions?