Three people were killed in a plane crash in Northern California. All of the victims were employees of Tesla Motors, an automaker based in the Silicon Valley. They were on their way to the Hawthorne Airport when the plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in East Palo Alto.

The identities of the victims have not yet been released, but it is known that the plane belonged to Doug Bourn, a senior electric engineer for Tesla. It hasn’t been reported whether or not he was aboard the plane.

The crash set two homes and two vehicles on fire, but fortunately no one was hurt.

According to East Palo Alto Police Capt. John Chambers, the plane lost power shortly after takeoff. It hit a power line tower, which sheared one of the wings, and then landed on a home daycare center in a residential neighborhood.

Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said it is believed the crashed was caused by either a mechanical failure or poor visibility due to dense fog. If an investigation proves the accident was caused by a mechanical failure, the families of the victims will have grounds to file a lawsuit against the plane’s manufacturer. Vehicle makers have a duty to ensure their designs are safe and free of defects that could cause the vehicle to malfunction. When an accident occurs due to a mechanical malfunction, the victims have the right to pursue an injury lawsuit for damages.

Airplane accidents do happen, and as you can probably imagine, there usually aren’t too many survivors. If your loved one was killed in a plane crash, you should consider speaking with an experienced Pasadena personal injury attorney at our office about filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Take the first step in exercising your legal rights by contacting the Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus today to arrange a free consultation to discuss your claim.