Two men were injured Sunday afternoon following a small plane crash in the area of the Lake Murray Community Church on Lake Murray Boulevard.

According to information from Heartland Fire & Rescue, first responders were dispatched to the crash and the first crews arrived on scene at around 3:07 p.m. Coincidentally, an American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance was close by at the time of the crash. They reported that two people who had been in the aircraft had gotten out of the plane. The airplane crashed in a parking lot at the rear of the church, went through the chain link fence of the elevated parking lot and proceeded downhill.

The pilot and passenger, both approximately 50 years old, had varying injuries. One person was able to walk, with assistance, up the hill to an ambulance. The second person was unable to walk and was taken back uphill by fire crews on a stretcher using a rope and pully system. Both the pilot and passenger were taken to Sharp Grossmont Hospital with moderate injuries. No other injuries were noted.

Crews estimated the total response time involved was some 40 minutes. Heartland Fire & Rescue was assisted by AMR, San Diego Fire-Rescue and La Mesa Police Department.