Plane Crash Sparks Wildfire In East San Diego County

RANCHITA, CA – Firefighters contended with rugged terrain and high winds Friday while working to control a wildfire sparked by a nighttime plane crash near Volcan Mountain.

A resident of Julian reported seeing an aircraft apparently plunging to the ground northeast of the tourist-destination highland town about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, according to San Diego County Sheriff's officials. Less than half an hour later, authorities got word of a small brush fire in the Ranchita area, Lt. Amber Baggs said.

A sheriff's helicopter crew was unable to find any plane wreckage in the darkness, and firefighters had to wait until morning to make their way to the remote canyon where the blaze was burning. By the time they reached the site shortly after sunrise, the flames had spread over about 10 acres, according to Cal Fire.

The fire was posing no immediate structural threats, the state agency reported.

About 9:30 a.m., firefighters found aircraft wreckage in the burn zone, Baggs said. There was no immediate word on the condition of whoever was aboard the aircraft when it went down.

The destroyed airplane remained unidentified at midday, though a twin- engine Beechcraft Duchess was reported overdue Thursday night when it failed to land at Ramona Airport when expected, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

"We do not know where the aircraft is," FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said late Friday morning.