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California Plane Crash Brings Attention to Home-Built Aircraft

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California Plane Crash Brings Attention to Home-Built Aircraft


A small airplane that crashed into the ocean off the California coast on Sunday was constructed piece by piece over nearly a decade, one of tens of thousands of home-built aircraft that are part of a high-flying hobby taking off across the country, the AP reports. Federal investigators said they believe four people were aboard the single-engine Cozy Mark IV when it went down in the evening just south of San Francisco. No survivors were found and only one body had been recovered from the waters near Half Moon Bay and identified as of Thursday. There have been no official indications of what went wrong, but a witness reported hearing an engine losing power and cutting out.

Like commercial aircraft, all home-built planes are required by the FAA to be inspected annually for air worthiness. Cozy aircraft, a class of planes constructed by individuals rather than mass-produced by companies, have the same safety record as commercially built planes of similar size, said aeronautical engineer Marc Zeitlin, who consults with the National Transportation Safety Board on crash investigations involving Cozy aircraft, including this one. More than 33,000 amateur-built aircraft are licensed by the FAA, a figure that has tripled since the 1980s. The administration designates any non-commercial, recreational aircraft as “experimental.” Those can include planes built from kits with some prefabricated parts or from plans in which the builder buys or manufactures and assembles all the parts.

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The four-seat Mark IV, at just over 16 feet long with a 28-foot wingspan, is a popular plane among the growing number of aviation hobbyists who build their own aircraft. Zeitlin owns one himself that he takes on day trips and cross-country voyages. “The misconception is that these are put together by baling wire and glue,” said Zeitlin, CEO of California-based Burnside Aerospace. “But they are built using aircraft methodology.” Thane Ostroth said he bought the plans for his Cozy, the one that crashed Sunday, for about $500 and started putting it together in a friend’s basement in Michigan in 1999; by 2008, he was flying it. He sold it last year to an experienced pilot for around $100,000, which is about what he estimated went into the project over the decades.

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The plans come with a list of authorized suppliers of parts,” said Ostroth. “You buy foam, you buy fiberglass, you buy metal parts from all the manufacturers. And you slowly piece it together.” Help can be found from other enthusiasts who post tips and advice in online forums. Ostroth said he heard about the crash in an online chat group for pilots and builders of Cozy aircraft. He said it was “traumatic” to know the plane he had spent so much time on had crashed with people on board. “It’s just a horrible feeling,” Ostroth said.

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More SoCal rallies for and against military action in Iran expected on Sunday and Monday

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More SoCal rallies for and against military action in Iran expected on Sunday and Monday


LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Worshippers across Los Angeles were met with an increased law enforcement presence on Sunday as police and sheriff’s deputies stepped up patrols outside mosques, synagogues and cultural landmarks following the strikes on Iran.

Local officials said there are no credible threats to Southern California, but the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department heightened visibility as a precaution to ensure communities stay safe.

More demonstrations tied to the attack on Iran are expected Sunday and Monday. Several protests were held across Southern California on Saturday.

READ MORE | Rallies for and against military action in Iran draw demonstrators across Southern California

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While Iranian-Americans celebrated in Westwood, protesters gathered in downtown Los Angeles to oppose the Trump administration’s attacks against Iran.

While some groups gathered in downtown Los Angeles to protest the strikes, others assembled in Westwood to celebrate “the fall of the Ayotollah,” according to organizers.

Authorities said they will continue monitoring events as the region prepares for additional gatherings in the days ahead.

This is a developing story. This article will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.

Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan officially announce run for California governor

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San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan officially announce run for California governor




San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan officially announce run for California governor – CBS San Francisco

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San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has officially entered the 2026 California gubernatorial race.

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Six planets to align in “planetary parade” above California. Here’s how to see it.

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Six planets to align in “planetary parade” above California. Here’s how to see it.


A rare celestial event will be taking place in the sky above California on Saturday night, as six planets are expected to be visible in what is being called a “planetary parade.”

Look towards the western horizon 30-60 minutes after sunset. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be lined up along an arc, visible to the naked eye creating a literal parade of planets.

The alignment only occurs every few years, with the next one not until 2028.

Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are frequently seen in the night sky, but the addition of Venus and Mercury make this planet lineup particularly noteworthy.

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In the San Francisco Bay Area, there will be some cloud coverage Saturday evening, but it should be in the high levels of the atmosphere so hopefully the horizon remains clear. In Los Angeles and San Diego, the forecast is expected to be clear.

Meanwhile, the planetary parade may not be visible in the northern part of the state, with cloudy conditions expected Saturday night in Sacramento, and possible showers and thunderstorms in Eureka and Redding.

People with telescopes and binoculars will also be able to see Uranus and Neptune as well.

For amateur astronomers, this also would be a fun time to test out your telescope skills by checking out Jupiter’s many moons or Saturn’s rings.

Please note that if your view is obscured by buildings, trees or hills, you won’t see the parade because it will appear very low on the horizon.

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The nontechnical term is Parade of Planets, but the technical term is planetary alignment. Basically, it’s just the name for what happens when the planets and sun line up in the sky, these happen during events called oppositions and conjunctions.

Opposition is the term for when a planet is directly opposite the Earth from the Sun. Meanwhile, conjunction is when they are aligned with each other and is when we get the best views of the planets. 



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