Small plane crashes near Petaluma Municipal Airport; 2 dead

Two people died when their small plane crashed near the Petaluma Municipal Airport Wednesday morning, authorities said.The Federal Aviation Administration said a preliminary report indicated that a Van's RV-7A single-engine homebuilt plane with two people aboard crashed in a field shortly after taking off at about 10:45 a.m.An employee of the Rooster Run Golf Club across the street from the airport confirmed that the plane had crashed at the golf course, which is across the street from the airport. The plane caught fire following the crash and firefighters arrived to extinguish the fire.The Petaluma Police Department confirmed that the two people aboard died in the crash. They were not immediately identified.E. Washington Street between Garfield Drive and Adobe Road was closed during the crash response and investigation. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the crash.This is a breaking news update. More information to be added as available.