Three dead after a small plane crashed into a residential area in Southern California

Three people have died after a plane crashed into homes in a residential neighbourhood in the Californian city of Riverdale.

According to CNN, the Cessna 310 crashed about a kilometre northeast of the Riverdale Municipal Airport and broke apart when it hit two homes, which had residents inside.

"We're unable to determine if they were victims from the residence or from the aircraft itself," Riverside Fire Chief Michael Moore said.

Two passengers in the plane, who were part of a group in Southern California for a cheerleading competition, miraculously survived the crash. One of the survivors, a teenager was ejected from the plane, was taken to hospital suffering minor injuries.

Three bodies were pulled from the wreckage of the plane. Two houses were destroyed in the crash, but nobody on the ground suffered injuries.

The crash comes less than a week after five people died in a plane crash at Melbourne's Essendon Airport.

"We still are actively searching for victims," local fire chief Michael Moore told reporters at the scene in Riverside.

"This involved two residences and reportedly they had residents in both homes."

There appeared to have been two adults and three teenagers on the plane.

The small plane had departed from Riverside heading to San Jose.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by authorities.

Riverside is located 90km southeast of Los Angeles.