California Plane Crash: Small Jet Crashes In Pacoima After Hitting Power Lines; Video Emerges

A small jet struck power lines before crashing into a parking area in Pacoima, California, on Monday, April 22. An incident captured by car dash cam went viral on social media sites. The incident occurred when the aircraft was flying at a low altitude touch the utility poles along Van Nuys Boulevard just blocks from the Whiteman Airport.

A 70-year-old male pilot was seriously injured and is receiving treatment at the hospital. In a viral clip of 0.12 seconds, a small aircraft can be seen striking the live wires and losing its balance, flipping over and nosediving into the ground. 

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Viral Dash Cam Footage 

PLANE slams into POWER LINES in California

Triggers EXPLOSION pic.twitter.com/5NVb5fwFg8

— RT (@RT_com) April 21, 2026

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LDF), a single-engine aircraft owned by Vista Aviation and rented by the pilot was doing patterns around the airport when it hit the power lines. The plane lost control and crashed into a parking lot at an O’Reilly’s auto shop.

It had only been in the air for about 10 minutes. The pilot was found outside the plane, according to the New York Post. The crash resulted in a blackout in some parts of the area. The report said crews are on the spot working to restore the line.