A pilot who walked away from a plane crash in Lompoc Monday night was practicing takeoffs and landings when he fell short of the runway, according to the FAA.
It happened around 9:15 p.m. along H Street across from the Lompoc Airport.
The FAA says the pilot was the only person onboard the single-engine Glastar, which landed upside down in a field and was “substantially damaged.”
The 72-year-old man from the San Luis Obispo area tells KSBY he is OK and has been a pilot for 20 years. He was back at the crash site Tuesday afternoon.
The crash prompted a large response from Lompoc police and fire and redirected northbound traffic along H Street for a short time.
The FAA, which is investigating the crash along with the NTSB, says the pilot was interviewed Monday following the crash. They have not determined if an inspector will be sent to the crash site.
The FAA adds that it could take a year or more to determine the probable cause of the crash.
Lompoc Airport officials say crashes like this are rare at the small-town airport and happen maybe once every 20 years.
