1 Killed, 1 Injured After Planes Collide On Runway Of Compton Airport

click to expand

COMPTON (CBSLA) – At least one person was killed and another injured in a collision between two planes on the runway of the Compton/Woodley Airport Wednesday night, officials said.

Two planes collided on the runway at the Compton/Woodley Airport in Compton, Calif., on March 13, 2019. (CBS2)

Compton Fire Department crews and Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies responded just around 6:52 p.m. to the scene, where one plane – a single-engine Cessna 152 – had caught fire.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a single-engine North American T28 collided with the Cessna on Runway 25L. The T28 is a military trainer aircraft first used in the 1950s and which saw action in the Vietnam War.

The second victim was taken to an area hospital in unknown condition.

A pilot at the scene described what he heard.

"Heard this unbelievable explosion, and came out to see what happened," witness Billy Jackson said. "I didn't know what it was. I mean, it just sounded like the loudest explosion you could've imagined and came out to just a fireball of activity out on the runway."

The collision will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA, which sent an inspector to the scene.