A crash occurred in Los Angeles on Thursday morning involving a 1968 Cessna aircraft. The plane went down in a field near the 405 Freeway, shortly after takeoff from Van Nuys Airport, according to statements from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). The crash site was located in proximity to the 15300 block of West Burbank Boulevard.
The aircraft occupants, a man and a woman, safely exited the plane on their own, sustaining only minor lacerations to their faces. LAFD Captain Erik Scott commended the occupants for their fortuitous escape, stating that no fire or extrication was necessary following the incident. Both the man and the woman declined transportation to a local hospital, indicating the minor nature of their injuries.
The crashed plane was found around three miles south of Van Nuys Airport in the Sepulveda Basin area, having lost communication with the airports tower. The causes of the crash are currently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration.
During the course of the investigation, a fire broke out a few blocks away around 8 a.m., reportedly due to a rubbish fire in a local homeless encampment, according to Scott. This resulted in the formation of a large plume of smoke visible to commuters on the 405 Freeway. However, the fire was quickly contained and no injuries resulted from the incident.
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