A pilot managed to avoid serious injury on Monday afternoon when their single-engine plane crashed into the roof of a hangar at Long Beach Airport.
The incident occurred around 2:20 p.m. on the 2900 block of E. Spring Street. First responders found the Cessna 172 nose-down through the roof of the hangar.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the pilot was the sole occupant of the plane, which was reportedly practicing takeoffs and landings at the time of the crash.
According to the Long Beach Fire Department, the unidentified pilot appeared to have only minor injuries.
Kate Kuykendall, a spokesperson for Long Beach Airport, indicated that the crash did not affect any commercial flights. The emergency response was handled by the Long Beach Fire Department.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash, with a preliminary update expected in the coming days.
This incident comes on the heels of two other crashes involving Cessna planes. Just days prior, a Cessna C550 business jet crashed, resulting in six fatalities at French Valley Airport near Murrieta in Riverside County. On July 4th, another Cessna 172 crash occurred at the same airport, leading to one death and several injuries.
These incidents underscore the importance of flight safety, pilot training, and thorough crash investigations to prevent future accidents.