Private Jet Aborts Take Off At Oroville Airport; Bursts Into Flames
OROVILLE (CBS SF) -- A private jet aborted a take-off at the Oroville airport Wednesday, bursting into flames after the 10 people aboard were able to escape the wreckage, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Oroville Public Safety Director Joe Deal told the Oroville Mercury Register that the crash took place at around 11:30 a.m. with 10 people aboard -- eight passengers and two crew members. The plane had just refueled with 480 pounds of fuel and was attempting to take off when something went wrong.
Initially, the plane was not ablaze when those aboard got out safely as the jet came to rest on its belly near the end of a runway. Those on the plane, authorities said, suffered only minor injuries.
A short time after the crash, both the jet and the nearby dry brush caught fire. Firefighters using foam brought both the wildfire and the plane blaze under control, but not before the jet was completely destroyed.
The FAA will investigate why the take-off was aborted. The jet was scheduled to fly from Oroville to the Portland International Airport. As a precaution, the CHP closed a portion of Highway 162.
