One person died after a small plane crashed in Butte County on Saturday morning, authorities said.
Cal Fire Butte
One person was killed after a single-engine plane crashed Saturday morning in Butte County, authorities said.
The aircraft went down about 9:50 a.m. in the 3100 block of Old Stage Road, roughly a mile north of Butte Community College and about 3½ miles south of Paradise Skypark airport, according to Cal Fire’s Butte unit and dispatch audio reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.
The Piper PA-22-150 crashed onto private property, and fire personnel determined there was one victim, who was confirmed dead, Butte firefighters said in a now-removed social media post just before 10:30 a.m.
The aircraft was not equipped with an ADS-B transponder, which helps track an aircraft’s location, altitude and speed. Federal rules require most aircraft operating in controlled airspace to carry Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast equipment, but it is not mandatory in all airspace, particularly in many rural areas.
A photo posted by Cal Fire showed fire personnel, Butte County sheriff’s deputies and other first responders at the scene, with the damaged, winged aircraft beneath a tree.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said, adding that deputies had been in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration, which will conduct the investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board, which said it was aware of the crash, would also probe the crash.
This story was originally published February 28, 2026 at 10:56 AM.
The Sacramento Bee
Michael McGough is a sports and local editor for The Sacramento Bee. He previously covered breaking news and COVID-19 for The Bee, which he joined in 2016. He is a Sacramento native and graduate of Sacramento State.Â