This is the dramatic moment a Cessna light aircraft crashed at a California airport after the pilot suddenly lost consciousness.

CCTV footage shows the Cessna 340A preparing for take-off and moving across the Hayward Executive Airport taxiway before veering off and crashing nearby.

The incident occurred in October 2023, causing substantial damage to the aircraft.

Authorities later confirmed the plane was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.

An incident report, published on September 30, 2025, by the Aviation Safety Network, stated: 'The pilot had just removed the aeroplane from his hangar and started both engines. While setting up the avionics, the pilot was suddenly incapacitated, and the aeroplane began to move across a taxiway.

'The passenger attempted to wake the pilot, but the aeroplane continued across a taxiway intersection and into the runway safety area before it collided with a swale. The nose landing gear collapsed and both wings sustained substantial damage.'

A post-accident medical examination determined the pilot's loss of consciousness was caused by a sudden cardiac event linked to a previously undiagnosed heart condition.

The report continued: 'Thus, the pilot's sudden incapacitation from effects of previously undiagnosed heart disease likely caused the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aeroplane that would have precluded normal operation.'

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its final report on September 30, concluding that the probable cause was the pilot's sudden incapacitation due to an undiagnosed heart condition, which led to the loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain.