Plane crashes at JWA

Deepa Bharath

Two people were injured after their single-engine airplane crashed

between two runways while trying to land Thursday afternoon, airport

officials said.

The V-tailed Beechcraft Bonanza went down as it approached the

runway for small aircraft at about 1:45 p.m., said Justin McCusker,

spokesman for John Wayne Airport.

A man and woman aboard the plane suffered “moderate trauma” and

were taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, he said.

Orange County Fire Authority officials responded to the incident.

There was no fire involved, but firefighters used foam and water to

hose down the plane because of “leaking fluid,” McCusker said.

Fire officials withheld the identities of the injured man and

woman, believed to be in their 50s.

“We believe their injuries are minor, but that can change

depending on what they find out at the trauma center,” said Capt.

Steven Miller, spokesman for the fire authority.

The airplane suffered significant damage, McCusker said.

McCusker said the investigation had been handed over to the

Federal Aviation Administration.

Details of the origin of the plane were not known, he said.

“What we do know is it was not based out of John Wayne Airport,”

he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board moved the aircraft so the

general aviation runway could be reopened, McCusker said. The runway

was closed for about two hours.

No commercial flights were delayed because of the crash, he said.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.