Small Plane Crashes in Temple City Backyard, Almost Hits House

A small Cessna 152 plane narrowly avoided disaster Monday morning when it crashed into a backyard in Temple City, California, just blocks from San Gabriel Valley Airport.

The incident occurred around 8 a.m. on Arden Drive. Miraculously, the pilot and passenger walked away uninjured, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. “The plane hit some trees, spun, and was caught by more trees, minimizing damage,” said Capt. Sheila Kelliher Berkoh.

The plane did not strike the nearby home, which appeared unoccupied at the time, and caused only minimal property damage. The aircraft is believed to be operated by Mission Flight Academy, based in Redlands, California.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, but no additional details have been released.