My Fox LA reports that three people were injured after a Boeing 707 tanker airplane slid off the runway and caught fire as it attempted to take off from Point Mugu Naval Air Station in Ventura County, approximately 40 miles from Los Angeles. The plane was carrying over 150,000 pounds of fuel.
According to the article, the aviation accident occurred around 5:25 p.m. Three civilian employees, a navigator, a pilot, and a co-pilot, were onboard the aircraft and escaped with only minor injuries. Details as to how they were able to escape the fire were not immediately available. The plane came to a stop within a few hundred feet of the Pacific Ocean, but an air base spokesperson said fuel did not get into the ocean. The wreckage from the plane burned for over three hours, despite a helicopter dumping water loads multiple times on the airplane.
The aircraft is operated by a Virginia-based company that has a contract with the Navy to offer fuel transport services as well as fleet operations support. It is not known where the airplane was headed at the time of the California aviation crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Whenever someone suffers injuries in a plane crash, the cause of the accident needs to be determined. Was the aircraft designed poorly? Were any defective parts present? Was the proper maintenance performed, and on a regular basis? Did negligence occur on the part of the pilot, air traffic controller, or other airport personnel? Once the at-fault party is determined, injured victims can hold them accountable for their injuries and accident-related losses.
For many years, the Los Angeles plane accident lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have helped injured victims obtain the compensation they need to cover hospital bills, rehabilitation, and other medical expenses following a serious airplane crash. Call 1-877-800-1700 to schedule a free consultation today.
