Murrieta pilot dies in small plane crash in Temecula

A Murrieta man died in a small plane crash in an open field in Temecula on Tuesday morning, Nov. 23, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.

The plane crashed at around 10:35 a.m. in a field near the 32000 block of Everview Terrace, Sgt. Brandi Swan said. When deputies arrived, they found the man – the sole occupant of the plane – dead inside of the aircraft, she said.

The pilot was identified as  48-year-old Marshal Whatley, according to the Riverside County Coroner’s Office.

There was no damage to property besides the plane itself, according to Swan

The plane was a single-engine Zodiac 601XL, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the crash.

It was not immediately known what led up to the crash.

The crash site is southeast of French Valley Airport.