Plane crashes into big rig, killing pilot as bystanders rush to help, CA officials say
.png "A small airplane crashed into a big rig at a busy port near Los Angeles, California.")
A small, single-engine airplane crashed into a semi-truck about noon Friday in California, killing the pilot and seriously injuring a truck driver, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
With fuel leaking near the wreckage, bystanders rushed to the scene to help, pulling the pilot free and performing CPR until firefighters arrived, the LAFD said.
Authorities took the driver, who they believe is around 30, to a hospital for treatment about half an hour after the first alert at noon, according to the LAFD. He is listed in “at least” serious condition.
The pilot “is sadly beyond medical help, and determined dead on scene,” authorities said shortly after arriving at the busy San Pedro port. The pilot’s gender and approximate age are unknown, according to the LAFD.
It’s not clear what caused the plane to collide with the big rig, but the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified of the incident and will launch an investigation, authorities said.
Firefighters have contained the small fuel leak that poured out of the destroyed plane, KTLA reported.