HAWTHORNE, CA – On West 126th Street near Hawthorne Boulevard in Hawthorne, California, a small plane became engulfed in flames following a crash that took place around 12:40 a.m. on Friday. The single-engine Piper PA-24 was carrying two passengers.
Both of the passengers involved in the crash were able to evacuate the aircraft but suffered severe burns and other serious injuries as a result of the incident.
Prompted by a loud crash, local resident Gerald Johnson and other bystanders pulled one of the victims away from the wreckage, anticipating a possible explosion. By the time they were taken from the scene, the victims were conscious and capable of breathing.
Video footage that was taken at the crash site showed the aircraft mostly destroyed, with identifiable remnants of the tail and a wing. Los Angeles County Fire Department officials suspect the plane was traveling towards Hawthorne Municipal Airport, a mere two miles from the crash location.
Despite the unclear nature of the crash’s cause, Fire Department Captain Sheila Kellher Berkoh highlighted the consolation that no one on the ground was harmed in the incident. Investigation of the crash will be led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as advised by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).