Three die when plane from North Las Vegas crashes in California desert

Three people were killed when their small plane crashed as they attempted an emergency landing in the California desert near Barstow, Calif.

Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the California Highway Patrol said the Beech 33 Bonanza had taken off from North Las Vegas and was headed to Corona, Calif., on Sunday when it went down, killing the pilot and two passengers.

FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the pilot had declared an emergency and was attempting to land at the Barstow-Daggett Airport.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash. Authorities had not released the names of those on board.

Kenitzer said the National Transportation Safety Board has taken over the investigation.

Barstow is about 150 miles southwest of Las Vegas.