NAMPA, Idaho — A Nampa neighborhood was caught off guard when a small plane crashed near the airport Sunday afternoon.
"It was not a pretty sight," said an Oak Street neighbor.
"The police came and told them to stay away cause it might explode," said Leon Garcia, a Nampa resident.
Watch to hear more from neighbors about their reaction to the plane crash:
Leon Garcia and his wife were inside their home when they heard the crash right outside their door.
"Like somebody hit a car really hard. I was watching TV," said Mrs. Garcia, an Oak Street neighbor.
READ MORE | Small plane crash in Nampa neighborhood leaves 3 dead
Neighbors on Oak Street tell me they're used to hearing low-flying planes, but something about this one seemed off.
"This one sounded normal at first and then all of the sudden something kinda told me something is not right there, cause it was making a kinda funny noise," said an Oak Street neighborhood resident.
While authorities continue investigating, property renter Tyler Barnhart thinks it looks like the pilot did everything possible to avoid hitting homes.
"It was kinda mind-boggling all at once," said Tyler Barnhart, a Nampa resident. "I do feel like it was a freak accident. The pilot did a really good job and turning in the building he avoided the house for sure. There are several obstacles — the tree, the power line and the other shed — and the top of the house, and he missed all that."
Neighbors rushed to help. Barnhart says what he saw when they removed the hood was devastating.
He has a message for the victims' families.
"I pray for you guys. I am sorry about the situation," said Barnhart.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
