Two men were killed Thursday afternoon when their small plane crashed in an orchard in an unincorporated portion of Ventura County east of Piru.

The Sheriff’s Communications Center received several 9-1-1 calls from motorists driving by on Highway 126 who saw the plane go down. The wreckage was within 100 yards of the highway and near a ranch house. However, there were no injuries to anyone on the ground and no damage to any property.

The small two-seat private plane was destroyed on impact. Members of the Sheriff’s Bomb Squad were sent to the scene to deactivate a small rocket device used to deploy a parachute in the event the aircraft experienced an emergency.

Investigators were trying to determine why the safety device was not activated before the crash.

The two men’s names were not released pending notification of their families.