Overview
- The single-engine aircraft came down around 4 p.m. Tuesday on a Heartwell Park soccer field in Long Beach, striking a woman in her 40s, fire officials said.
- Fire crews found the plane on its belly with broken landing gear, removed an elderly pilot, and said both the pilot and pedestrian were hospitalized in moderate, stable condition.
- Air traffic recordings obtained by local media capture the pilot declaring an emergency and reporting a loss of power before stating he would land in a field.
- FAA registry and flight-tracking reports identify the aircraft as a 1986 Lazzarini Long‑EZ and show a route from Compton to French Valley with a return toward Long Beach.
- Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and the mayor emphasized that the lack of fatalities reflects a fortunate outcome in a busy public park.