Plane Skids Off Runway At John Wayne Airport; No Injuries Reported
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) — A small plane skidded off a runway Thursday at John Wayne Airport, but no injuries were reported.
Some commercial flights were delayed after the private single-engine Piper Malibu skidded off the runway around 12:50 p.m., according to officials.
Only one person is believed to have been aboard the plane, but was not injured.
Although the runway was visibly wet, it wasn't clear whether rain may have played a role in the incident, or whether the plane was taking off or landing at the time.
The runway was temporarily closed to remove the plane and forced inbound flights to hold or divert, according to reports.
Images posted to social media appeared to show the plane in a stopped position along a grassy area between the airport's runways with its nosegear broken.
Small #plane slides off runway at #SNA @JohnWayneAir delaying flights- #nosegear broken- No injuries to pilot #cbsla @cbsla pic.twitter.com/SbNLU91yVw
— michele gile (@michelegiletv) March 22, 2018
Little hiccup at John Wayne airport while we wait for our flight. #raininginla pic.twitter.com/YmdMuSOWd3
— Jackie Reynolds (@Jackies911) March 22, 2018
An airport spokesperson told KNX 1070 the aircraft's nosegear had been sheared off before it landed in the so-called "safety area" between runways.
The runway reopened just after 2 p.m., according to the airport.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)