2010-11-22 14:22

LOS ANGELES - Three people were killed when a small private plane crashed into sea off Newport Beach, California, Sunday evening, local police said.

The private plane, a single-engine Beechcraft Muskateer, crashed under unknown circumstances in the Newport Beach Back Bay around 5:45 pm local time, according to a statement released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The plane was traveling from Mexico to Torrance Municipal Airport.

Newport Beach fire and police responded and pulled the three victims -- a pilot and two passengers -- from the plane. All three occupants were declared dead at the scene.

Shortly before the deadly crash, the distressed plane flew low over a station, witnesses said, and the pilot reported problems to the tower at nearby John Wayne Airport.

The airplane is registered to Palos Verdes real estate broker Chuck Chambers, local media outlets reported.

The cause of the crash is under the investigation by FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.