Travel
Pilot Killed In Crash After Taking Off From Van Nuys Airport
The single-engine plane crashed at an elementary school, catching fire and killing the pilot.
VAN NUYS, CA — A plane that took off from Van Nuys Airport crashed at an elementary school in Santa Barbara County Wednesday, killing the pilot.
The plane, a single-engine plane Cirrus SR20, crashed on the grounds of a school in the community of Orcutt at about 10:45 a.m., Ian Gregor of the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The plane caught fire in the crash, and the pilot died at the scene.
"We believe the pilot was the only person on board," Gregor said. "The plane had departed from Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles (County) and was headed to Santa Maria."
Find out what's happening in Studio Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The plane crashed at Ralph Dunlap Elementary School, according to CBS2, citing the Santa Maria Fire Department. Information on the pilot's identity was not immediately available.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate what caused the crash.
Find out what's happening in Studio Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.