2 people killed in small plane crash in Northern California

Two people were killed when a small plane crashed in a mountainous area near Luther Pass in Northern California, according to federal and local officials. There were no survivors.

The plane, a single-engine Luscombe 8A aircraft, was reported overdue at 1 a.m. on Thursday, after which investigators were able to use the aircraft’s GPS transponder to pinpoint its location in the Willow Creek area near Luther Pass.

Deputies responded and found the wreckage of the plane adjacent to Willow Creek Road, near South Lake Tahoe, at around 5:30 a.m. Both occupants of the plane were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Alpine County Sheriff’s Office.

The names of the victims were not immediately released but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane had taken off from Lodi Airport in Collierville on Wednesday afternoon.

There was no immediate word on the possible cause of the crash. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation.

“The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates,” the FAA said.