A witness says a small plane was circling over California wine country before it crashed and burst into flames across from a golf course, killing 2

Two people are dead following a small plane crash in California that occurred shortly after takeoff. The aircraft, identified as a Van’s RV-7A, went down near the Petaluma Municipal Airport and the Rooster Run Golf Course.

As reported by Unilad, the incident unfolded quickly after the plane departed the airport. While initial reports varied slightly on the timing, flight records indicate the aircraft took off at 10:37 AM and crashed approximately one minute later. The scene was discovered by authorities in a field adjacent to the golf course, specifically near the first hole.

Witnesses on the ground provided a harrowing look at the plane’s final moments, as ABC News reports. Andrew Sabin, who was golfing at the time, reported seeing the aircraft in distress while he was on the 12th hole. “I saw the plane careening almost sideways. It was almost 100 feet off the ground,” Sabin said. “It looked horrible. What I saw.” 

The aircraft was fully engulfed in flames

He added that he first heard the engine sputtering before the plane descended. “I heard the engine first, which made me turn around. It went sideways and went straight down,” he said. “I didn’t hear it through the trees. Heard a boom and then a big fireball afterward.”

Another witness, pilot Goran Jelenic, also noted engine trouble before the crash. “I heard a sputtering,” Jelenic said. He observed the pilot attempting to navigate back toward the runway. “Looked like he was trying to turn back the runway and turn really hard,” Jelenic noted.

Bob Kates, a marshal at the golf course, confirmed seeing the plane circling the area before it ultimately hit the ground. “It came around and came up and circled around by the pro shop and turned around and headed back south again,” Kates said. “It hit the grass here.”

When Petaluma police arrived, they found the aircraft fully engulfed in flames. After extinguishing the fire, officers confirmed that two people were found deceased inside the wreckage. The Petaluma Police Department issued a statement acknowledging the gravity of the situation, noting, “Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those involved in this tragic incident.”

The Van’s RV-7A is a two-seat, single-engine kit aircraft designed for personal assembly. Records show the plane was reportedly registered to Rodney Eshelan of Marin County. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched a formal investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. Authorities have asked the public to avoid the area while investigators continue their work.

This area has seen previous aviation accidents, which have left some locals feeling unsettled. Kates remarked on the proximity of the airport to the golf course, stating, “It’s a little scary. There have been prior plane crashes here in the past. Scary that it’s here near the airport.”