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By Chris Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association
Photo: a pilot of crashed Cessna (in blue) emerges from scene. Photo by Chris Stone
July 9, 2023 (La Mesa) - A pilot and co-pilot of a Cessna A185F suffered moderate injuries Sunday after their plane crashed into a ravine between a church and a residential area in La Mesa.
The fixed-wing single engine six-seater clipped multiple power lines as it descended and power was cut to nearly 3,300 customers for about an hour.
People were in the nearby Lake Murray Community Church, but no one was injured. No one on the ground was hurt, and the plane didn’t catch fire.
Across the street — in the 5700 block of Lake Murray Boulevard — are two assisted living facilities.
The plane, registered to John Brasil of Lemon Grove, took off at 2:50 p.m. from Montgomery Field and flew 12 miles before coming down at 3:05 p.m., according to FlightAware.
An American Medical Response ambulance was passing by and was first on scene and found two men already out of the airplane, one of them lying on the ground, according to Heartland Fire Capt. Sonny Saghera.
Within 40 minutes, the fire department used a rope system to get the pilot up the hill of the raven, but the co-pilot reported back pain and was lifted via a basket and backboard, Saghera said. The pilot suffered cuts and bruises, he said.
Both men were taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital.
Photo, right: remnants of crashed plane in La Mesa ravine. Photo by Chris Stone
Photo, left: a pilot of crashed plane is examined by medical personnel. 
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