The quiet neighborhood of Wood Ranch was shattered by a devastating aviation accident that claimed the lives of a local father and son. On the afternoon of May 3 a self built Vans RV 10 single engine plane crashed into two homes on High Meadow Street. The pilot was identified as 69 year old Paul Berkovitz of Westlake Village who was flying with his 36 year old son Matthew and their loyal dog Brody. All three perished in the impact.
š The Final Moments and Investigation
The aircraft had departed from General William J. Fox Airfield in Lancaster and was en route to Camarillo Airport. According to preliminary data from the National Transportation Safety Board the flight was operating under instrument flight rules due to low cloud cover in the area. Witnesses reported seeing the plane circling the Wood Ranch neighborhood and dipping in and out of the clouds before it went into a rapid nose down descent.
Seconds before the crash the pilot reportedly told air traffic control that he was in a turn and could not arrest the movement. The plane clipped palm trees and a stone wall before slamming into the backyards of two residential structures. While the homes sustained significant fire and structural damage the residents inside were fortunately uninjured. One house was red tagged by inspectors as uninhabitable while the other received a yellow tag for limited use.
š Safety Debates and a Lasting Legacy
This tragedy has sparked a renewed debate about the safety of amateur built aircraft like the Vans RV 10. Investigators are looking into whether a mechanical failure or spatial disorientation caused by the weather led to the crash. A similar fatal accident involving this model occurred in Orange County earlier in 2025 where it was discovered that an unlatched cabin door played a major role. Aviation experts are now discussing whether secondary door latches should be a standard requirement for these popular kit planes.
Beyond the investigation the community is mourning a man who dedicated his life to helping others. Paul Berkovitz was a well known figure in the animal rescue world who had recently sold his business to focus on flying rescued dogs to safety. His family and friends are now working on ways to honor his legacy through aviation based animal transport. Meanwhile local advocates are using the crash as a primary example to question flight paths over densely populated neighborhoods like Wood Ranch to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.