Plane Destroyed in Whiteman Airport Accident

A pilot and passenger escaped injury Thursday morning after their small aircraft cart wheeled off the runway at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima. The four-seat Cessna 172 was destroyed in the incident that occurred at about 10 a.m. The airport was closed for about an hour during an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board. The Cessna had landed at the airfield in Pacoima when the aircraft bounced back into the air. After the pilot applied full power, the craft stalled resulting in the left wing hitting the ground, causing it to cartwheel into the infield area, according to the county. The aircraft came to rest near the administration building. Whiteman is one of five airports managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.