A small plane made a dramatic emergency landing on a soccer field in Long Beach, California, leaving two people hospitalized.
On Tuesday, Oct. 21, the Long Beach Fire Department shared on Facebook that a woman in her 40s and an elderly male pilot were taken to the hospital following the incident, which happened around 4 p.m. at Heartwell Park.
When emergency crews arrived, they found the plane “on its belly with broken landing gear,” though thankfully, the fuselage remained intact. Unfortunately, the plane collided with a pedestrian in the park during the landing.
Rescuers helped the elderly pilot out of the plane and transported him by paramedics to a local hospital. Both he and the woman were reported to be in moderate but stable condition.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson addressed the situation at a City Council meeting, saying, “The good news is it could have been a whole lot worse. We are fortunate there have been no fatalities or serious injuries. It was a glider that made a rough emergency landing on the field at Heartwell Park.”
Flight data shows the plane took off from Compton/Woodley Airport in the morning, landed at French Valley Airport in Murrieta, and then took off again around 3:40 p.m. The crash landing happened about 20 minutes later. The pilot told authorities he was returning to Compton/Woodley, which is about 15 miles from the park.
Heartwell Park, a popular spot for youth sports during the week, features multiple courts and arenas. The plane reportedly landed on a soccer field next to two softball fields.
Despite the crash, soccer practice continued nearby, with young players seen on the field while the plane sat in the background, cordoned off by police tape.
The investigation is still ongoing, with the Long Beach Police Department assisting in securing the crash site.