Plane crashes in Southern California; 2 killed, officials say

Two people died and two others were hospitalized after a small plane crashed into a residential area in Yorba Linda on Sunday afternoon, officials said.

It's been reported that a small plane came apart in the air, dropping parts throughout a neighbourhood in southern California.

Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the aircraft went down under unknown circumstances.

Ambulances stand on place as the smoke rises from a house on fire by the crash of a Cessna 414A in a residential area in Yorba Linda, California.

Two people were killed in the incident, and two others were transported to a nearby hospital, the Orange County Fire Authority tweeted.

The plane crashed at about 2pm local time (10pm GMT) and chunks of the doomed aircraft have been pictured in resident's driveways and gardens. The home can be seen with scorch marks on its facade and broken windows, among other damage. It was unclear if they were in the house or the plane.

There's no information so far regarding why the plane crashed.

A two-story house burst into flames after being struck by the main cabin and one engine of the plane, sending panicked neighbours into the streets.

About 70 firefighters responded to the massive blaze, along with deputies from the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

"Local authorities say there are injuries on the ground", Kenitzer said.