Jet trainer crash kills 2 at Southern California airport
Fire officials say the jet, identified as an L-39, went down around 2 p.m. today at the Apple Valley Airport in San Bernardino County, about 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles. (David Pardo/The Victor Valley Daily Press via AP)
Ian Gregor of the Federal Aviation Administration says the plane had just taken off when it went down and crashed in a fireball. (David Pardo/The Victor Valley Daily Press via AP)
APPLE VALLEY, Calif. » Authorities say a small jet has crashed and burned at a Southern California desert airport, killing both people on board.
Fire officials say the jet, identified as an L-39, went down after taking off around 2 p.m. today at the Apple Valley Airport in San Bernardino County, about 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Fire Marshal Jason Nailon said a witness reported seeing flames out of the engine as the jet was taxiing down the runway.
Nobody on the ground was hurt, but the airport was shut for 24 hours as the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board investigate.
The L-39 is a two-seat, high-performance jet trainer aircraft developed in Czechoslovakia.
The victims have not been identified.
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Here’s what SA left out.
The pilot killed in the Apple Valley plane crash has been identified as 60-year-old Michael (Mike) Mangold, a world-famous aerobatics champion for Red Bull who was a resident of Victorville.
The crash occurred on Sunday, December 6, 2015 at about 2:20 P.M., according to the Apple Valley Fire Protection District the aircraft is described as an L39 Jet. Witnesses say, that the small plane was attempting to take off from the airport located at 21600 Corwin Road.
Mangold was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 10th 1955 and is the oldest of three children. He moved to California at 3 years old and then to Pennsylvania for his high school years.
Mangold previously performed shows at the Apple Valley Airshow in his L39 Jet that crashed today. He was also a Boeing 757 and 767 commercial pilot for American Airlines.
He is survived by his wife Julie, and his two children Nick and Melissa.
No information on the identity of the second passenger killed in the crash has been released.
The FAA is en route to the crash scene and the Apple Valley airport will remain closed for at least 24 hours. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.