Moment of Fatal Plane Crash in Southern California Captured on Doorbell Cam

Doorbell surveillance footage captured the moment the pilot of a small airplane was killed when the plane crashed onto an elementary school campus in Orcutt, Santa Barbara County, California, on Wednesday, May 20.

The video shows the plane making its descent and the aircraft’s parachute appears to deploy. Moments later, the plane erupts in flames, sending a plume of smoke into the air.

The pilot of the plane was later identified by local news reports as 38-year-old Tigran Garabedyan. He was the only person involved in the crash.

The blaze left by the crash was put out within minutes by the Santa Barbara County firefighters, according to the same reports. The plane reportedly crashed in the playground area of Ralph Dunlap Elementary School, which was vacant due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash, according to reports. Credit: Albert Mendoza-Gutierrez via Storyful