Plane crashes into orange grove shortly after takeoff at Falcon Field in Mesa

PHOENIX — A plane crashed into an orange grove shortly after it took off from Falcon Field in Mesa on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

The plane suffered a mechanical issue after taking off but did not have enough altitude to make it back to the airfield, leading to the crash, according to the Mesa Police Department.

When the aircraft crashed, it struck a tree stump and sustained heavy damage after it spun.

The pilot and passenger were able to remove themselves from the plane and were uninjured.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will conduct the investigation.

No other information was available.

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