Los Angeles: A light aircraft crashed into the car park of an O'Reilly Auto Parts store in Southern California on Monday morning, leaving a 70-year-old pilot in critical condition. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) confirmed the incident occurred shortly after 11 am in Pacoima, a neighbourhood in north Los Angeles. 

According to reports, the rescue teams arrived to find the small plane upside down just feet from parked vehicles, its nose badly destroyed. The firefighters rescued the pilot from the damaged plane, who was the sole occupant, and he was rushed to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition.  

The local authorities confirmed the incident, saying no one else was hurt in the crash. The police began evacuating nearby businesses and homes as a precaution after the plane clipped high voltage lines in the immediate area.  

Reports suggested that the crash was first reported by staff at the O’Reilly Auto Parts store. Multiple photos surfaced on social media showing the upturned aircraft in the car park, narrowly missing several parked cars.  

The officials confirmed that the plane had struck power lines during its descent, creating a safety hazard that led to evacuations of surrounding properties. The LAFD stated the pilot was the only person aboard and that no further injuries had been reported at the scene.  

The cause of the crash has not yet been established, and investigators are expected to examine why the aircraft came down in such a densely developed area.  

While the pilot’s condition remains critical, the emergency services said the situation could have been far worse had the plane hit buildings or struck pedestrians. The proximity of the wreckage to parked cars explained how close the crash came to causing massive harm.  

Further, with high voltage lines damaged, the utility departments were called in to make the area safe while police maintained a cordon around the site. The residents and shop workers were asked to leave as a safety measure until the lines were secured.  

Further details are expected as federal aviation investigators join local authorities to ascertain what led to the incident.