Two Hurt In Small Plane Crash In Humboldt County

DINSMORE (AP) — Authorities say two people are hurt when a small plane crashed while trying to land at a remote Humboldt County airport.

The Cessna 172-E went down shortly before 12:30 p.m. near the Dinsmore public airport, near the border of Humboldt and Trinity counties.

Humboldt Sheriff's Lt. Steve Knight says two state transportation workers witnessed the crash and rushed to help pull the victims from the wreckage before it caught fire.

According to Knight, the pilot was a 65-year-old male flight instructor from Garberville who suffered broken bones but is expected to survive. He was airlifted to a Redding hospital for treatment.

The passenger — a Redway man — suffered only minor injuries.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Knight says the plane hit nose-down after possibly stalling in the air.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press)