The identities of the six victims who tragically died in a small plane crash near the French Valley Airport in Murrieta early Saturday morning have been disclosed by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
The victims include the pilots, 25-year-old Riese Lenders of Rancho Palos Verdes and 32-year-old Manuel Vargas-Regalado of Temecula, along with his wife, 33-year-old Abigail Tellez-Vargas. Two other victims, 46-year-old Ibrahem and 51-year-old Alma Razick of Temecula were also killed in the crash. The sixth victim was identified as 31-year-old Lindsey Gleiche of Huntington Beach.
Thick fog that limited visibility near the French Valley Airport could have contributed to the business jet missing the runway by several hundred yards. The pilot had reported to air traffic control that he would be performing a “missed approach” due to the poor visibility, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
The plane crashed about 500 feet short of the runway, and by the time authorities arrived, most of the airplane had been engulfed by flames.
This crash is the second fatal incident at the French Valley Airport within a week, a stark reminder of the critical importance of visibility and safe flight operations. As this story develops, more information will be shared.