Dramatic dashcam footage has captured the moment a light aircraft hit power cables and nosedived into a car park in the Pacoima area of Los Angeles. The plane, a Cessna 172 S Skyhawk SP, was seen flying low before colliding with electricity lines, causing huge sparks as it crossed over a road.
The pilot, a 72-year-old man, was rescued by bystanders who lifted the wing of the aircraft to free him. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition. The crash occurred shortly after 11am on Monday near the junction of San Fernando Road and Van Nuys Boulevard, close to an O'Reilly Auto Parts store.
Emergency services attended the scene, and a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman confirmed the pilot had already been removed from the plane upon their arrival. Electricity was cut to the area due to the hazard from loose cables, and a police cordon was put in place for nearby roads.
The plane had taken off from Whiteman Airport and was in the air for less than 10 minutes before turning back and crashing. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. The Whiteman Airport Coalition confirmed the plane had been rented to the pilot, stating that safety is taken very seriously at the airport.
This crash is the latest in a series of incidents involving aircraft from Whiteman Airport, including a fatal crash in April 2022 and another in November 2020. Concerns about safety at the small airport have been raised in the past.
