Man killed when small plane crashes near 215 Freeway in San Bernardino County

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- The morning after a small plane crashed in San Bernardino County, a man on Sunday was found dead at the scene, authorities said.

The aircraft, believed to be a twin-engine Gulfstream AC95, crashed around 8:30 p.m. Saturday near the 215 Freeway at the Kendall Drive/Palm Avenue exit.

"Witnesses in the north end of San Bernardino reported hearing a plane sputter and then a loud crash, followed by a red flash," the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

Deputies and police officers conducted a search of the area on Saturday night, but the mountain area was not accessible via vehicle or on foot, officials said. The sheriff's Aviation Division attempted to assist, but the weather restricted their ability to fly.

On Sunday morning, the Aviation Division located a debris field in the mountains north of Devil's Canyon. Due to the terrain, search and rescue team members were deployed and assisted an investigator from the coroner's office to the scene, the Sheriff's Department said.

The deceased man's name was withheld, pending notification of his family.

The cause of the crash was unknown.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are expected to respond to the location and conduct an independent investigation.