Clairemont

Two Clairemont men were seriously injured when their light plane crashed in rugged mountains east of Ranchita Saturday afternoon.

The injured pair were taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital by ambulance after low clouds forced a Life Flight helicopter to land at Warner Springs. The helicopter had been attempting to airlift the two to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.

The pilot, 69-year-old Bill Gray, was reported in serious but stable condition Saturday night by Sharp nursing supervisor Melanie Bruce. A 31-year-old passenger, who is Gray’s roommate, was in critical condition Saturday night with head injuries and possible internal injuries, Bruce said.

Gray told hospital officials that he was flying from Borrego Springs to Gillespie Field in El Cajon when the plane went down about five miles east of Ranchita and a quarter mile north of S22, a county highway.