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Pilot killed in fiery plane crash at a Southern California airport

The Associated Press
In this aerial image taken from video provided by KABC-TV, a twin-engine plane crashed while departing from a runway and burned at Fullerton Municipal Airport on April 18, 2019, southeast of Los Angeles. Fire officials say a pilot has died in the fiery crash.

FULLERTON, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say the pilot killed in a fiery plane crash at a Southern California airport was heading for Utah.

The twin-engine Beechcraft Duke was taking off from a runway at Fullerton Municipal Airport, southeast of Los Angeles, when it crashed shortly before 8 p.m. Thursday.

Fire officials say the plane was doing only 80 mph and was just 15 feet off the ground when it crashed.

Ian Gregor says the plane rolled to the left and caught fire. Video showed the aircraft burning in a fireball. The wings and tail were incinerated, although part of the fuselage survived.

Gregor says the pilot had filed a flight plan from Fullerton to Heber City Municipal Airport in Heber, Utah.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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