A small plane crashed nose-first into a California airport building on Monday in which the pilot survived, according to Fox News. The incident involving a Cessna 172 took place around 2:15pm (local time) at Long Beach airport and the building appeared to be a hangar, the outlet further said.
Photos that appeared on Twitter and other social media platforms showed the plane lodged nose down into the roof with its tail straight up.
The crash happened when the pilot was practicing take-offs and landings, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News. The pilot was the only person aboard the plane and suffered minor injuries.
He was taken to a local hospital for check-up.
New York Post said the identity of the male pilot has not been released, but the fire department said he was in his 40s.
Footage captured the extent of the damage, showing the plane's nose protruding through the hangar's roof, while one wing appeared significantly damaged. Firefighters were seen going up a ladder to investigate the scene and provide assistance in extracting the pilot from the Cessna.
BREAKING: A small plane crashed nose-first into hangar building at Long Beach airport, punching a hole through the facility's roof pic.twitter.com/76Rum5HsxM
— Sodevine07 (@KellyAn35453630) July 11, 2023
Kate Kuykendall, a spokesperson for the Long Beach Airport, told KTLA that the incident did not disrupt any commercial flights and all runways remained open and operational.
In the days to come, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. Firefighters informed ABC 7 that approximately 45 gallons of fuel leaked from the aircraft after it punctured a hole in the hangar.
At present, the cause of the crash remains unknown.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
