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CHP releases new details of 405 Freeway plane crash near JWA

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The California Highway Patrol has released new information about a small-plane crash that occurred Friday on the 405 Freeway outside John Wayne Airport.

The pilot, Francis Pisano, 62, of Coto de Caza, tried to return the twin-engine Cessna 310 to the airport after it lost power at about 9:35 a.m. But the tail crashed into the freeway center divider, igniting a fire, the CHP said Monday. (See video here.)

Pisano’s wife, Jana, 55, was a passenger in the plane.

Before the crash, Francis Pisano frantically radioed a distress call, as heard in audio released the day of the crash.

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“We got a mayday! We got a mayday!” he said.

The fiery aircraft hit a vehicle on the freeway driven by off-duty firefighter John Meffert, 47, of Rancho Santa Margarita.

The plane traveled across lanes and crashed into a vehicle driven by Blackstone Hamil, 51, of Thousand Oaks.

Two other vehicles on the freeway crashed into debris from the plane.

Meffert and several other motorists stopped to help the Pisanos, who were eventually taken to Orange County Global Medical Center with major injuries. They were reported to be recovering.

None of the motorists involved suffered injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

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