A small plane has crashed into a building at a Los Angeles area airport after it was stolen from a flight school. A thief allegedly broke into Van Nuys Airport around 4am and hijacked a single-engine Cessna, before crashing it into a building. Suspect survives, identity not known.
A small plane has crashed into a building at a Los Angeles area airport after it was stolen from a flight school.
A thief allegedly broke into Van Nuys Airport around 4am and hijacked a single-engine Cessna, before crashing it into a building, KNBC reported.
Images of the crash site showed how the plane went nose first into the building, resulting in a gaping hole being left in the side of the hangar.
Identity of thief or motive unknown
Authorities had yet to say how the theft occurred, but did note the plane never made it off the ground.
Los Angeles Airport Police told Eyewitness News that the suspect — identified as Ceffareno Michael Logan — trespassed onto airport property and gained access to the aircraft.
‘LAXPD immediately responded and took subject into custody,’ read a statement provided to ABC7.
Logan was arrested and booked for burglary and theft of an aircraft.
Both the LAPD and FBI were investigating. It is unclear if authorities are searching for any additional suspects.
The incident occurred at a flight training facility at Van Nuys Airport, according to KTLA.
Investigators believe the plane struck the building while taxiing on the ground.
It has since been removed from the hangar and taken inside the flight school.
Little known about the suspect or motive or where they planned to go with plane?
Little is known about the suspect, including whether or not Logan was a student at the flight academy. The crash suggested the thief being an inexperienced pilot, it at all.
It remained unclear what injuries, if any the suspect may have suffered.
Also unclear is where the suspect had intended to fly with the plane and what led to him targeting the flight school.
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into the theft.
Van Nuys Airport is a general aviation facility operated by Los Angeles World Airports.
