3 hurt after plane crashes into backyard of north Phoenix home

Plane crash in Phoenix leaves at least 3 hurt

Several people are out of their homes after a small plane crashed into two homes in North Phoenix, and sent at least three people to the hospital on the morning of March 4. FOX 10's Brian Webb has more.

PHOENIX - Three people were hurt after firefighters say a small plane crashed into a north Phoenix home just minutes after takeoff, before landing in the backyard of another home on Wednesday morning.

What we know:

The crash happened at around 7:20 a.m. on March 4 near Cave Creek Road and Deer Valley Drive.

Phoenix Fire Capt. Todd Keller says the plane took off from nearby Deer Valley Airport and was heading west. An unknown issue caused the pilot to try and circle back to the airport, but the plane crashed into the roof of a home before falling into the backyard of the home next door.

SkyFOX video over the scene showed parts of the plane on the roof of a home, including a wing. The plane itself is on the ground next to a swimming pool. Surveillance video captured from a neighbor's house shows the moment the aircraft went down.

Surveillance cam captures plane crash into 2 north Phoenix homes

New video shows the moments a small plane crashed into two homes in a north Phoenix neighborhood shortly after taking off from Deer Valley Airport. 

A man inside one of the homes was hurt and taken to a hospital in stable condition. Keller says a student pilot and instructor on board the plane were able to climb out and walk away, but were also hospitalized.

The crash also caused a fuel leak, which prompted a hazmat response.

Dig deeper:

Fire crews say the plane damaged a baby's room and a second bedroom during the incident. The child was not in the room at the time, but a broken wing leaked gasoline into the first home hit.

‘It was a big bang’

"It was a big bang. It sounded like, almost like a bomb went off, or someone slammed their trash can really hard," a witness told FOX 10. "My kids were the first ones to find it, and they looked out the window and saw all the action was already here, so I'm glad everybody's safe."

Several hurt after small plane crashes into north Phoenix homes

After a small plane crash in north Phoenix sent three to the hospital, a neighbor and student pilot said he had actually flown that exact plane before. FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz learns how the crash hits too close to home for him. 

What they're saying:

Student pilot and neighbor Austin Carlson, who has flown this exact plane before said he did a discovery flight in it while choosing where to pursue his license. 

"Definitely speechless," Carlson said. " I looked at the tail number of the plane and realized that I actually was going to fly in that plane and get my pilot's license."

He said he didn't feel safe at all, and that the plane, from 1968 according to FlightAware, was too old for his comfort. 

"My parents weren't comfortable with me flying in a plane. That's, you know, very old," Carlson said. 

He added that he is grateful he didn't choose that plane for his lessons, but saying that he is "very grateful, but also sad for whatever happened and whoever was involved in it."

Three people were hurt after a small plane crashed into the backyard of a north Phoenix home.

What's next:

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.

Crashed plane removed from north Phoenix backyard

A giant crane was brought in on March 5 to lift wreckage from a plane that crashed into north Phoenix homes before landing in a backyard. A student pilot and instructor were hurt, along with a man who was inside one of the homes. 

Map of the crash scene: