2 killed in small plane crash at Van Nuys Airport
Two men died Wednesday when a small plane crashed and caught fire at Van Nuys Airport.
Firefighters were sent to the 16300 block of West Waterman Drive at 10:37 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews doused the flames, which fully engulfed the aircraft at one point.
"One small single-engine aircraft crashed at Van Nuys Airport and burst into flames," the LAFD said in a statement. "Fire crews quickly extinguished the flames, but, sadly, both occupants on board were found to be deceased."
The names of the men who died have not been released.
In a news briefing at the airport Wednesday afternoon, LAFD Captain Erik Scott said the plane hit the ground "nose first" in a "very high impact" crash.
Firefighters from a nearby fire station were on scene quickly and used foam in an effort to douse the intense flames from aviation fuel, which is extremely flammable, Scott said.
Airport Police Captain Karla Rodriguez told reporters that an airport police officer witnessed the crash from a short distance away.
Runway 16-R was closed for about 30 minutes, but Runway 16-L remained open, Rodriguez said, adding that there were no major impacts to airport operations.
"A single-engine CSA SportCruiser crashed at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles around 10:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday, August 2," the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
"Two people were on board," the FAA said. "The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates."
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.