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At about 11:30 a.m. Thursday morning, a small plane crashed in a residential neighborhood in Pacoima near Whiteman Airport, igniting two parked cars and killing the solo pilot, who has not yet been identified.
According to KTLA and NBC Los Angeles, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the small aircraft — a Cessna 172 — was approaching the runway shortly before crashing. Los Angeles Fire Department crews were able to extinguish the flames quickly, and no nearby homes were damaged.
Images taken from the scene of the crash show the aircraft nearly completely obliterated, with some smoke visible from a distance.
Whiteman Airport, located in the San Fernando Valley, is owned and operated by L.A. County and primarily serves general aviation, or civilian flying, purposes.