The pilot of a Cessna aircraft sustained minor injuries Monday afternoon after crashing the plane nose-first into the roof of a West Coast Aircraft Maintenance hangar at Long Beach Airport, according to Long Beach Fire Department spokesperson Jake Heflin.
The crash was reported at 2:18 p.m., according to Heflin. Several units were on the scene investigating Monday afternoon, but there was no active fire, he said. The Fire Department cleared the scene shortly before 4 p.m. The Long Beach Police Department, airport operations and the city’s building department provided additional support at the scene.
The pilot, a man in his 40s, was walking about before being taken to the hospital for minor injuries, according to officials.
At the scene, 45 gallons of fuel were absorbed and properly disposed of, Heflin said.
The pilot, who was the only person on board, was practicing taking off and landing before the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
According to Heflin, investigators will work to determine what caused the crash, and the plane will be removed using a crane at some point.
Airport spokesperson Kate Kuykendall said the airport remains open and no commercial flights were affected.
City News Service contributed to this report.
