Tiffany Harrison Hospitalized After Being Hit by Small Plane That Crash-Landed Into Long Beach Soccer Field
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA (October 24, 2025) – A woman identified as Tiffany Harrison was injured in a Long Beach plane crash at a Heartwell Park soccer field.
Long Beach officials are saying that the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon. Tiffany Harrison was walking her dog at the Heartwell Park soccer field near Carson Street and Clark Avenue.
She was hit by a small plane making an emergency landing into the soccer field. Paramedics were called to the scene to help the victim.
Tiffany Harrison was hospitalized with serious injuries, including a broken pelvis and multiple fractures along her spine. Brittany McFall is the victim’s sister.
She told reporters that her sister is deaf and did not hear the plane as it was making a crash landing. The hangar manager at the Compton/Woodley Airport has indicated that the engine on the plane went out.
A full investigation into the Long Beach plane crash remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Long Beach Plane Crashes
Airplane pilots have a legal obligation to operate with an abundance of caution to avoid collisions. They are completely responsible for the operation of their aircraft. Pilots can be liable for operating their aircraft in a manner considered dangerous or reckless. Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. § 91.13, “No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.” There are many ways that a pilot may have acted negligently and contributed to a plane crash.
- Pre-Flight Inspections: A pilot may have failed to perform all pre-flight inspections necessary to ensure the safe operation of their aircraft. This will include checking to ensure there is enough fuel.
- Maintenance: All aircraft must be routinely inspected and well-maintained. If the engine of an aircraft went out mid-flight, this raises key questions related to the upkeep of the craft.
- Emergency Landing: Pilots may need to make an emergency landing in certain instances. They should select landing zones that don’t pose a high risk to third parties.
- Avoidance: No matter the circumstances of a pilot’s descent, they must properly scan the landing zone ahead of them and take steps to avoid pedestrians and other hazards.
Operating an aircraft can be difficult in the best of circumstances. It is essential that pilots are exceptionally well trained. But far too often, that does not take place. This is particularly true in private aviation, where regulations are much less strict. Smaller aircraft and experimental planes often lack the safety redundancies found in larger planes. Though most plane crashes are the result of pilot error, there could be numerous liable parties aside from the pilot.
Third-Party Liability for Long Beach Plane Crashes
Smaller aircraft are far more likely to be involved in serious injury collisions than larger aircraft. According to WUSA9, “In 2019, the accident rate for a commercial plane was 0.2 accidents for every 100,000 hours flown. For a private plane, it’s more than 25 times higher at 5.6 accidents for every 100,000 hours.” These accidents can be complex events and legally implicate many different entities.
- Maintenance Contractor: The company responsible for maintaining an aircraft could face liability for a collision. This is particularly true if they used unauthorized parts or failed to address mechanical wear.
- Aircraft or Component Manufacturers: The company that created an aircraft or its component parts could face legal responsibility for a crash through a product liability claim. The aircraft may have design defects, like faulty carburetors, that create safety issues mid-flight.
- Air Traffic Control and the FAA: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operates air traffic control towers. They could be liable if these towers give pilots inaccurate information or improper instructions.
- Plane Owner: The company that owned or leased a plane could also be liable for a crash. For example, they may have lent their plane to a pilot without proper certifications.
It can be difficult to know what to do after any plane crash. This is particularly true in crashes with small or experimental aircraft. Victims may be left with serious injuries that necessitate they take extended periods of time away from work or their families. It is vital that victims take time to explore all of their legal options with experienced legal counsel. Victims of plane crashes may be able to seek financial compensation through a personal injury claim.
Investigating Long Beach Plane Crashes
We at Carrazco Law extend our best wishes to Tiffany Harrison and her family as she continues to recover. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the FAA. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Many questions remain unanswered. Who built this plane? When was the last time it was serviced? What are the certifications of the pilot?
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Long Beach plane crash? You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. Our team of aviation accident attorneys is here to support you in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get all of the medical and financial compensation that they need to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of assistance, we are here to serve your needs and help make your life easier. You can contact our office anytime at (800) 541-3244.
