A small plane crashed at Santa Monica Airport in California on Thursday afternoon, killing a flight instructor and student, authorities said.
Firefighters responded to the airport at about 4:25 p.m. and found the aircraft engulfed in flames. The Piper Sport two-seat single engine aircraft, operated by a local flight school, crashed with two people on board.
“It was a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the families of the deceased,” Santa Monica Fire Chief Danny Alvarez said in a briefing Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the cause of the crash.
The City of Santa Monica said in a statement that the aircraft was coming in for a landing at the airport when it touched down, then made “an abrupt upward maneuver” before crashing. The city said the airport would remain closed during the investigation, but anticipates reopening Friday.
