Pilot Killed When His Small Plane Crashes in Rubidoux
RUBIDOUX — A Huntington Beach test pilot was killed Sunday when the small plane he was flying apparently lost power shortly after takeoff and crashed, narrowly missing a house in this Riverside County community, authorities said.
The county coroner’s office identified the pilot as Stephen S. Averill, 43. Aviation records in Orange County listed his profession as “test pilot,” but authorities are attempting to determine where he worked.
Averill, who was alone in the single-engine plane, left Flabob airport shortly before 1 p.m. Minutes later, witnesses said, “they heard the engine rev and quit,” according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. “The plane was seen banking from side to side and then fell into the yard” in the 5500 block of Tilton Avenue, deputies said.
The airport on the outskirts of Rubidoux is about two miles northwest of the City of Riverside.
The plane crashed into a narrow yard between a wrought iron fence and a small, wood frame house, deputies said.
Emergency officials said four people were in the house but no one was injured.
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