Three people have been killed and another two injured after a small plane crashed into two homes and caused a huge fire in southern California.

Riverside Fire chief Michael Moore said a husband, wife and three teenagers were returning to San Jose on Monday after a weekend cheerleading conference at Disneyland.

One of the teenagers, a girl, was thrown from the plane on impact and suffered only minor injuries.

She was able to talk to firefighters about what happened as she was taken to hospital.

Image: The aftermath of the plane crash in Riverside, California

An unconscious victim from one of the homes is in surgery.


Three bodies have been found in the wreckage, but firefighters have not established how many were from the plane and how many are from the homes.

They are searching for two possible victims in the wreckage.

The two homes were destroyed, and there was minor damage to some neighbouring homes.