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Fiery Plane Crash At Long Beach Municipal Airport [UPDATED]
Officials say a twin-engine plane crashed near Long Beach Airport on Wednesday morning, reports LA Now. Though few details were immediately available, an FAA spokesman said the aircraft caught fire after crashing.
The Beechcraft King Air plane was headed to Salt Lake City before it crashed on departure at Long Beach Airport at 10:30 a.m., according to the FAA. Engine crews reportedly "responded after the crash and were in the process of surrounding the charred hull of the craft," reports LA Now.
CBS Local reports two people have died.
UPDATE:
Five people are now confirmed dead in the crash, reports KTLA. Six people were on board the airplane, according to Steve Yamamoto of the Long Beach Fire Department, and the injured survivor was transported to a local hospital. The aircraft, capable of carrying up to 13 passengers, is believed to be owned by a Los Angeles-based corporation, said an FAA spokesperson. The FAA and the NTSB are investigating the accident.
Notes LA Now, the airport has shut down two of five runways, but all commercial flights are scheduled to fly out normally.