1 dead, 1 critically injured in Pacoima small-plane crash

PACOIMA, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 60-year-old man died and a 12-year-old boy was critically injured after a small plane they were in crashed at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima.

Authorities said the single-engine Cessna 150L crashed near the 12600 block of West Osborne Street around 5:10 p.m. Monday shortly after takeoff.

The pilot radioed in an emergency just before the plane went down nose first, striking a building and then flipping upside down.

A Los Angeles County firefighting air facility is near the airport and firefighters were able to arrive on scene quickly. They put out a small fire that had started in the plane and extricated the two occupants.

Two people, a 12-year-old boy and 60-year-old man, were extracted from the debris.

They were taken to Holy Cross Medical Center.

The 60-year-old was in cardiac arrest after the crash and firefighters performed CPR before he was transported to the hospital.

He was initially described as being in grave condition. Later Monday night, Fire Department officials confirmed the man had died.

The 12-year-old was transported in critical condition.

It was unclear what caused the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.