Fiery small plane crash in Hawthorne leaves 2 people in critical condition

A small plane that crashed on the street just blocks away from the Hawthorne Municipal Airport left two people critically injured.  

The single-engine Piper Comanche airplane crashed around 12:40 a.m. at Hawthorne Boulevard and 126th Street.  Los Angeles County Fire Department crews responded to the fiery crash and found two people who were on board, injured at the scene.  

Neighbor Gerald Johnson said he heard an explosion and rushed to try to help as the plane was in flames.  

"Once I made out that there was somebody there, ran over and tried to offer the man some aid, one guy I threw some dirt on him, he was actively on fire, actively engulfed in flames ...," Johnson said.  

"Myself and a couple other gentlemen helped pull the man away from the wreckage." 

A Los Angeles fire captain said it appeared the plane was descending to the airport.  

The plane's tail number was traced to the last registered owner and he said he sold the plane a few weeks ago, and that there were no issues with it. He said the new private owner was also having a mechanic inspect it.    

Hawthorne Airport does have a nearly 5,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide lighted runway.  

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash.