Latest: 5 killed in plane crash in California parking lot

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Latest on the crash of a small plane in Southern California (all times local):

1:50 p.m.

Authorities say five people on board a small plane were killed but nobody on the ground was hurt when the Cessna crashed in a Southern California parking lot.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac says the twin-engine plane declared an emergency Sunday before crashing about a mile (1.6 kilometres) from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport.

Orange County Fire Authority Captain Steve Concialdi says the Cessna was heading to the airport when it came down and struck an empty parked car in the lot of a Staples store. He says there was no fire and nobody on the ground was hurt.

Photos from the scene show the plane upright but on its belly. Several streets surrounding a nearby shopping centre and the South Coast Plaza mall are closed.

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1:25 p.m.

Authorities say a small airplane has crashed near a Southern California mall parking lot.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac says the twin-engine Cessna 414 declared an emergency before crashing about a mile (1.6 kilometres) from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport.

Photos from the scene show the plane upright but on its belly outside the South Coast Plaza shopping centre. The fire department is on scene.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.