A tragic incident occurred on June 15 when a vintage World War II-era plane crashed after departing from an airport in California for a Father’s Day event, resulting in the deaths of two people onboard. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that the incident occurred at Chino Airport and that a twin-engine Lockheed 12A crashed around 12:35 p.m. local time.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be leading the investigation into the crash, which took place during the Yanks Pops and Props event organized as a Father’s Day celebration at the Yanks Air Museum, a Chino-based museum that houses vintage aircraft. The museum expressed their condolences for the two fatalities and announced that they would be closed until further notice as they work with local authorities and the FAA to address the tragedy.
Witnesses described the harrowing moments leading up to the crash, stating that the plane was at about 300 feet in the air when it began to lean to the left and eventually nosedived. An immediate explosion followed upon impact, creating a large fireball and black smoke. Authorities are continuing to investigate the crash, and PEOPLE reached out to Yanks Air Museum for further information.