AZ businessman, family killed in San Diego plane crash - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

A home-built airplane that crashed in a San Diego County nature preserve killed a prominent Phoenix businessman and two members of his family on Saturday.

The owner was 65-year-old William A. Stern, Jr., according to a Federal Aviation Administration registration number released Sunday.

Medical examiners have identified the victims of the crash as 65-year-old Stern, his 53-year-old wife Jennifer Jane Stern and their 19-year-old daughter Katelyn Jane Stern.

The single-engine plane went down Saturday within Sycamore Canyon Open Space Preserve near Santee. Sheriff deputies say a hiker saw the plane fall from the sky and hit the hillside about 10 a.m. Saturday.

"The plane was in some type of a spin coming out of the sky," said San Diego County Sheriff's Sgt. David Hale.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor says the 4-seat Lancair IV-P had departed from San Diego's Montgomery Field en route to Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix. 

At the Stern's Phoenix home Sunday, friends gathered and laid flowers on the driveway. Stern is the owner of Stern Produce, with warehouses in Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson.

The Lancair web site says the IV-P is one of a series of aircraft kits that are no longer in production. The FAA considers it an experimental aircraft, and it's reported that the type of plane had a "disproportionate" number of fatal accidents.

A friend says the Stern's had the plane for more than 6 years and flew to Montgomery Field often. They say the family had a second home there.

"It's surreal still, we still kind of can't believe this is real," said Jessica Michael, a friend of Katelyn Stern. "I've played softball with her since I was a girl, my dad was her coach she's been a great love in all of our lives."

Friends called the 19-year-old Katey.

"Katey was a gorgeous girl, she was always smiling, she was always so kind to everybody and I think the flowers here recognize how many people she touched," said Nick Giancola.

"We were just really lucky to have them in our lives in the first place," said Jessica Michael.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

Video: FOX 10's Jill Monier reports.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.