MERCED COUNTY, Calif. — A pilot has died after a plane that took off from San Jose crashed in Merced County Tuesday evening, sheriff’s officials said.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office says deputies arrived at the crash site near Interstate 5 between Santa Nella and Los Banos just after 7:40 p.m.
Sheriff Vern Warnke says the pilot encountered difficulty with the plane after taking off from San Jose.
He adds the plane was circling the area for about an hour before it nose-dived into the ground.
“We initially started this in hopes it would be a rescue operation, but, unfortunately, it’s not that way,” Sheriff Warnke said.
Investigators say the pilot was the only person on board. They confirmed that another pilot was following the downed plane, but do not know the reason why.
The pilot has not been identified.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are both involved in the investigation.
Stay with ABC7 News for the latest details on this developing story.
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