Small plane crashes in parking lot of Southern California auto store

This image made from video provided by ABC7 Los Angeles shows a small plane crash, in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles, Monday, April 20, 2026. (ABC7 Los Angeles via AP)

LOS ANGELES — The pilot of a small plane was injured Monday after crashing his aircraft in the parking lot of an auto parts store in Southern California, authorities said.

The crash was reported shortly after 11 a.m. by an O’Reilly Auto Parts store in the neighborhood of Pacoima in north Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The pilot, a 70-year-old man, was rescued from the plane and taken to a local hospital where he is in critical condition, the LAFD said. Officials confirmed he was the only person on the plane, and no other injuries have been reported.

Photos from local news outlets show a plane upside down in a parking lot, just a few feet away from parked cars. The nose of the plane appears to be destroyed.

Officials said the plane clipped some high voltage lines in the immediate area, and police were evacuating local businesses and residences for safety.

The Associated Press